The Descent of Reno
by Riza Winters
Summary: When their chopper goes down on a mission to procure a new energy source, Rude is left injured and Reno presumed dead. Reno fights to survive while his friends realize he might still be alive, but the greatest threat in his captivity is losing himself.
1. Chapter 1

Cutting through the air at tremendous speed, the blades of the chopper almost seemed frantic in their dance across the sky, leaning too heavily to one side, then to the other, until the helicopter entered into a sure pattern of descent, rocking in an uncontrolled spiral toward the ground.

"Rude! Yo Partner tell me you're there!" The thin, red-haired piolet called desperately over his shoulder while still fighting with the throttle, even though he knew it was pointless.

"Reno." A solid, leather gloved hand clamped over his shoulder and he exhaled in relief even as he watched the ground get closer.

"Oh good." He said glancing over his shoulder at his partner. "I was afraid we wouldn't get to die together." He flashed a grin that only he could possibly muster when facing immanent death.

"Or we could use these." Rude held up two parachute packs and Reno's laugh at death suddenly died.

"Rude old buddy, that sounds like a much better plan."

However, once he let go of the stick the helicopter began to spin more violently. There would be almost no chance of them jumping out without getting sliced in two by the blades. Reno jumped back on the throttled, steering frantically. They had little time.

"Go." Reno ordered seriously. "I'll hold 'er as steady as I can for you."

"Reno–"

"Go, those bastards will probably just kill you when you land anyway. So don't feel I'm being all that noble. Besides, we still got a job to do right?" He kicked the metal box strapped in the co-pilot's chair. "Its bigger than both of us. Go."

Rude hadn't lifted his hand from Reno's shoulder the entire time and the younger Turk felt his grip tighten for a moment before it left altogether and Rude picked up the package. Before he left, he dropped the other parachute in Reno's lap.

"I'll see you down there."

"Cross your fingers for me buddy!" He said with a strained smile. There was no more time to waste. Rude slid into his chute and braced himself at the open door, waiting to time his jump so as not to get struck. Reno couldn't watch, his task requiring all of his attention but a quiet grunt heard past the rush of wind and screech of alarms told him his partner was gone.

"Here goes everything." He said, letting go. Immediately he was throw forward and smashed his head on the controls, blood erupting out of his broken nose, but he had no time to think, he shoved his hands through the straps of his parachute and made for the door.

It wasn't easy– he fell sideways into the co-piolet's chair, then smashed into another wall before almost falling through the open door. He gripped the sides last minute and watched the swirling image of ground and sky whizz past. This would take a miracle.

There was no human way to time it, luck was all he had, so with a deep breath, he shut his eyes and let go.

* * *

Rude struck unforgiving ground but rolled as he'd been trained and absorbed the impact as best he could. However, the metal box in his clutches was forced into his chest when he finally landed face down and he felt a few ribs crack not to mention the forming of a perfectly rectangular bruise on his chest.

He rolled onto his back and looked to the sky but there was only a trail of smoke. He had missed the entire crash of the helicopter– now smoldering in the distance– his descent had been so violent he hadn't been able to take anything in. He felt his consciousness waning but held on as long as he could, searching the sky for traced of a chute– of Reno. But he couldn't see anything.

A low rumbled reverberated through the ground and into his skull, slowly growing stronger. He didn't realize it was a motorcycle until he smelt and tasted the exhaust and by then a figure was approaching. He didn't think he could move.

"Rude."

His body relaxed at the soft voice. Strife. A gloved hand reached down and began patting him over. He cried out sharply when it reached his chest and realized just how much of an impact the case had made against his body. It felt like more than just a few broken ribs as he initially thought.

"Okay, hold on. Help's on the way. Where's Reno?"

"He–" Rude's voice cut off sharply by a wave of pain, even breathing hurt, talking was excruciating but he tried again. "Was supposed to jump...after..."

"Okay." he saw the blond head turn to the sky, then settle on the burning remains of their chopper in the distance and he knew what he was thinking. He wanted to tell him no, Reno was far to wily and if nothing else, too stubborn, to die like that, but darkness crept over his vision and silence fell.

* * *

The rush of air.

Too fast, far too fast.

The near back breaking jolt of his chute , then the audible tear.

The ground spinning and growing closer every second.

Too fast, always too fast.

Then the heat of the explosion, hot metal shards blasting by and into him and then dirt, dry and cold and suffocating.

From there on, Reno remembered little more than hands he hoped were Rude's wrap around him, then lights, and movement and screaming and a white hallway.

A long time later– much longer– his green eyes opened on a harshly lit, gleaming white and spotless room.

"Hospital?" he whispered to himself, his voice weak and faint. He looked to his left and saw machines and tubes leading into his veins. Behind them an observation window. To his right was a chair, empty, a small table, a magazine. So someone had been here.

"Rude?" he whispered again, and tried to move.

Shock hit him as he tried to raise his hands but couldn't reach more than a few inches. His limbs felt heavy and panic struck. _What happened? What's wrong with me? What the Hell is going on?_

"Reno."

His eyes flashed to other side of the room where he saw the door open. A man in a white coat approach.

"Yo doc..." he breathed. "What's going on?"

"You were in quite the accident. Your helicopter crashed. In fact, you were dead for a little over three minutes before we go your heart started again."

"What?"

"Not to worry. We patched you up nicely, only a few scars to speak of when you're fully recovered.

Reno was being drawn back into sleep but he still wanted answers.

"Injuries?"

"Listing them all would put you to sleep, which it looks like you're about to do anyway. Don't worry about it, just rest."

But he had one more question, and this one needed to be answered.

"Rude?"

A frown came over the doctor's face and he felt his heart skip but it was not enough to keep him conscious and his head rolled uselessly to the side.

* * *

Rude kept his face stiff even when he saw the looks in Tsueng and Elena's eyes when they entered his hospital room. He was propped up, his chest and ribs bound tightly and a steady stream of anti-inflamatories flowing into his arm to keep down the swelling that had nearly crushed the breath right out of his lungs.

Tsueng clutched a paper bag, Rude eyed it before looking to his leader.

"What did you find?"

It was not meant to be a cruel act, but Tseung knew that Rude would excuse away any explanation he gave unless faced with undeniable proof. So he turned over the bag and let the contents roll onto clean white sheets.

Rude chose the smallest of the two items to pick up and examine, rubbing away the black soot. Reno's ring. He looked down to the melted mess that were still identifiable as his goggles.

"This isn't proof of anything."

Tsueng sighed. "That wasn't all we found." He watched his companion swallow but just waited for him to continue. "The parachute was still inside and...there was hair."

"Hair? But, no body?"

"They are still combing through the wreckage, you don't understand how destructive the impact was. He may have tried to jump and ended up underneath the helicopter. Or the flames may have simple destroyed his remains."

"But the _hair _survived?" Rude asked critically.

"Hardly. Just a few burnt strands though it looked like there was more, but it too was unidentifiable after the flames. Its been run through the lab. Its his, Rude. I'm sorry, Reno is gone."

Rude heard a choked sound from Elena but didn't face her. He just bowed his head and gripped his sheets.

"Rude–"

"Keep me updated." The injured man spoke without facing them and the two Turks left at the silent request.

* * *

Cloud entered the bar, set his sword by the door and slid onto a bar stool. For a moment he rested his head on crossed arms then he became aware of muffled tears above him. His first thoughts were of Denzel and Marlene but their room was on the other side of the house, away from the bar, this one was directly above.

"Tiffa." He sighed, pushed back the stool and silently strode upstairs.

He knocked on the door and couldn't quite hear an acknowledgment but also didn't hear any protests so he turned the handled and slid inside. Tiffa was on the bed, head buried in a pillow, trying to hide the sounds of her sobs but her body shook with them and he moved to her side.

"Tiffa." He repeated, sliding his hand through her hair until she turned to face him. She took a few steadying breaths before gripping him tightly and beginning to cry anew. For a moment he was shocked and sat stiffly, then he slowly closed his arms around her.

"You're not crying over Reno are you?"

"Of course I am." She sobbed into his chest.

"Well I'm sure he'd love that. But I've never seen you quite like this."

"Its Rude." She said and he suddenly was at attention.

"I thought he was supposed to make a full recovery."

"He is." Her voice was still muffled in his shirt. "But you should have seen him."

"I doubt he was crying."

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "He didn't have to. You can just see it in him."

"Oh." Cloud was taken aback by the passion in her eyes, but then she'd always been affected by other people's sorrow and grief more than her own. It was one of the things he loved about her most.

"Oh? That's all you can say."

"Well–"

"I know we haven't always all been on the same side, but Cloud, this was...this was our fault."

"What?"

"We found that information about where the element was. We should have gone instead of passing it off to the Turks."

"Not to the Turks, to Rufus Shinra– to the people who promised to try to rebuild this world after nearly destroying it."

She clenched her fists, frustrated. "Why aren't you upset? How can you feel nothing?"

"Tiffa–"

"I thought you'd gotten past closing yourself off from everyone!"

"Tiffa, just wait."

"What?"

He huffed out a breath and sat back on the bed. Her frantic red rimmed eyes searched his face and again she asked, though deadly calm this time. "What is it, Cloud?"

"I don't–" he glanced at her and rubbed a hand through his hair. "I don't think he'd dead."

She just stared at him for a moment. "What?"

"I don't think Reno was in that chopper when it burned. I think he got out."

"But there was evidence–"

"Nothing that couldn't be planted in a hurry if need be. I was out there, today. There are tracks, they were mostly covered but if you looked closely enough you could see them. I think Reno made it out, and then I think the people that shot them down captured him."

"The newest competitors with Shinra?"

"Yes. We don't know much about them. We don't know what they're capable of. From what I saw, I think they took him away somewhere, and then made it look like he was killed. Threw his ring, his goggle, his parachute and even a little hair into the fire, just enough to make everyone think he is dead."

"Why?"

Cloud looked up at the ceiling but she forced his head back around to face her. "Why?"

"So no one will be looking for him when they start to interrogate him."

* * *

**_So this was a random inspiration that grew into a three part, 60 some page story. I've just started editing but thought I'd put up the first chapter to see some reactions. This is my first piece set in the FFVII universe, and I may make mistakes along the way so please forgive m but as I have set the stroy post Advent Children (as will become more clear) I feel there is alot to play with in Midgar and Edge. Also, the focus is on Reno, Rude, Tiffa and Cloud. Hope you like and thanks for reading,_**

**_Riza._**


	2. Chapter 2

Reno woke again, several times in fact, but finally he woke not feeling the exhausting pull of pain meds and antibiotics that usually caused him to blackout after only a few minutes of consciousness.

He looked around, alone again, and pushed himself up. It was a monumental struggle. His hands shook as he pressed against the metal rails to try to come to a sitting position. Pain shot through every limb and his chest, but he was determined to get a look at himself. When he was finally up, breathing heavily, he pulled the sheets off his legs and began there.

Heavy fabric-wrap bandage on his left foot– acceptable. Bandage around right thigh, which on poking, sent shivers through him– painful. General cuts and bruises– nothing to worry about.

Then his waist, not too bad, only more cuts and bruises that littered almost every inch of his body, though most were faint and yellowing now. Ribs, some cracked or broken, but most disturbingly, they pressed against his skin a lot more than they used to.

Moving to his hands, he saw his arms looked thinner too. Just how long had he been unconscious? There was a rough scar on one side, stitches still in it but the flesh looked like it had been burned as well as torn and he recalled flashes of smoldering shrapnel hurling toward him.

Yes– the helicopter.

He'd remembered the ordeal piece by piece between dreams and waking moments. Both of his wrists were banged up, one just bandaged, the other actually in a cast. There was also a tender wound on his right bicep, hidden beneath more white bandaged. Then he made his way to his face, touching lightly, and almost worriedly. He felt the bump in his nose and remembered head butting the dash. But other than that he felt nothing more than general swelling and bruising. He brushed his fingers through his hair, relieved that it was nothing worse, then stoped short when he reached the base of his neck.

"MY HAIR!" He screamed and the door burst open. But he ignored the doctor that strode up to him in concern and pulled frantically at the short strands where his ponytail had been.

"You cut my hair?" was all he could stammer to the man.

The doctor smiled warmly, and pushed his own brown locks behind his ear. "I'm sorry you are so upset but it was quite necessary. Most had been burned and what was left was getting in our way when were operating."

Reno didn't calm down much, patting the rest of his head to make sure that it was still intact.

"Don't worry, it was only your pony tail." he smiled again and Reno clenched his unbraced hand.

"Only my pony tail? Man, you know how long it took to grow that thing?"

"Reno, are there not more pressing issues?"

He almost retorted then stopped himself. "Yeah, man, Rude, where is he?"

"At Shinra. I would imagine he's working."

"Huh?"

"He's been visiting, don't get me wrong, but it has been quite some time Reno. Over a week, and as I understand it, the Turks are working hard to find the people who did this to you."

"The package, where is it? What exactly happened?"

"Ahh, I'm afraid I can't help you there, it would be cheating. The psychologist would like to speak with you and see how your memory is. If you have any gaps after that, I'm sure she will fill you in."

"Alright..." Reno nodded but anxious to get details. "But tell me where we are?"

"In the hospital, of course."

"No, but, this isn't Shinra. Anytime I've gotten hurt I'm always treated at Shinra's facilities."

"You were badly wounded Reno, I don't think you realized how close you came to meeting the ferryman, and as powerful as Rufus Shinra may be, he simply doesn't possess the same equipment as a state of the art hospital, though I admit it was his generosity that has allowed us to become this advanced. So of course we made any employee of his a top priority."

"I see."

"Are you alright?" Reno's face had dropped, betraying for a moment his doubts. He smiled slightly, hoping the doctor hadn't noticed.

"Actually, I'm starving."

"I'll send for some food. Then we'll talk again later."

Reno nodded, laying back. He wanted to relax but his instincts were on edge. This guy seemed to know an awful lot for someone who did not work in a Shinra facility. And what he said about the equipment– if there was something this hospital had that Hojo did not, he'd like to see it. No, no matter how hurt, Shinra's private doctors could always patch you back up. But shifting in the sheets he felt the extent of his injuries and that was enough doubt for him to allow himself to drift again until the food arrived.

Outside the doctor stood against the glass, watching Reno's features relax and give into sleep. He sighed in relief.

"So you think he bought it?" The petit blond woman next to him asked.

"It would seem."

"Excellent. I would hate to let slip the chance to learn all of Shinra's secrets– especially the location of the element– without ever having to do anything more than ask."

Reno fidgeted with the cast around his wrist. It itched and he had the urge to rip it off but the doctor had told him it would still be a few more weeks until the bones were healed. Worse, on top of the itching it ached like crazy. In fact his whole body did. But that situation was frequently amended when the doctor came in and adjusted the dial on his pain killers and then he would drift into a semi lucid, pain free state.

As he was now, however, he felt sharp and his mind was racing again. He just couldn't understand why no one, not even a low ranking employee, had come from Shinra to check in on him. However, he was put slightly at ease when he saw a woman entre in a black suit, though she had a lab coat draped over one arm. Her lapel pin however, indicated she worked for Shinra.

"Hello, I am doctor Eve Levi." She extended a smooth porcelain hand and he shook back as best he could. She was short and slim, blond, not entirely unlike Elena. But much, much more beautiful.

"Why Hello, Doctor." He grinned. "Shinra I see. I've been waiting for one of you guys to show up."

"Yes, well I am not used to leaving the mansion but the boss insisted. I'm a psychologist, and I would like to hear what you remember. Also," she produced a recorder, "This will act as your report to your Director."

"Yeah, I've been wondering when they were going to ask me for that. Hey, do you think they're ever gonna stop by some time?"

"Who?"

"My co-workers, the other Turks. Rude, Tseung, heck I'd even take Elena, its been days and I haven't seen anyone."

"They are very busy as I understand it. In fact, I believe they were sent on a mission."

"A mission?"

"It's not exactly my department, but I can find out for you if you would like."

"Yeah." he nodded. She picked up his chart and flipped through it, then headed to his iv lines. He watched her dial up his dose. "Hey, don't put that too high if you want an accurate report."

"I don't want a report, your boss does. I want to see how you are doing." She set the recorder down anyway and then began shining lights in his eyes. He recoiled at the brightness and hissed in pain.

"Hmm, you took a pretty nasty blow. But it your pupils look normal. The sensitivity to light should go away soon." She sat back in a tall stool next to the bed and his monitors and pulled out a clip board. "Okay Reno, tell me what happened on your mission."

He began his story as he would his report, though he didn't have Rude's help on noting the times and more precise details. He felt the effects of the drugs and asked her to dial them back but she said he was doing fine so he continued. He explained how they got the element, got out and were flying over the desert when they were shot.

"Then what? How did you get out?"

He explained how he sent Rude ahead with the package, then jumped himself.

"After that, its pretty much a blur."

"Very good. I have a few more questions."

"Alright."

"What do you think happened to your partner, when he jumped?"

"Huh, what do you mean? You said Rude was fine."

"He is, but I am looking for other things right now. Often in head trauma, a person's ability to reason or work through scenarios is impaired. I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Oh, okay." He watched her carefully but she seemed sincere. "Well, I guess he would have landed. Umm, I'm also guessing he found me, I remember someone grabbing my shoulders. Then he would have waited for help to come."

"From who?"

"What do you mean? The Turks of course."

"No one else?"

He thought and then realized. "Oh, well I guess maybe Cloud."

"Cloud Strife?"

"Does Shinra deal with any other Clouds?"

She smiled and he smiled back, continuing. "Yeah, him or that piolet friend of his, Cid might have reached us first, never know with them. Cloud's the one that gave us the info after all."

She seemed to take note of this in particular but diverted him to the other subject.

"So, in either case, whether it was Mr. Strife or the Turks who found you, what do you think would have happened next?"

"Umm.. Well, they brought me here, and Rude probably would have gone to the hospital to get checked out..."

"And the package?"

"Oh right, yeah, if he managed to hang on to it, then he'd deal with that to."

"Deal with?"

"Yeah, you know, standard Turk procedure."

"Reno, please be specific."

"Well Hell, you know, he would have handed it to Tsueng, who would have given it to Rufus who probably started using it by now."

"Well Reno, I can tell you he has not, there has been no sign of power output from Shinra's reactors."

Reno never reacted but his mind was screaming.

_Shinra decommissioned all reactors, they don't even have any in the Edge facilities, shouldn't she know this? Didn't she say she worked there? But that was right, if she was a doctor, she would have nothing to do with that, not even the power facilities. _

He calmed himself, but still he was uneasy. His words had flowed easily with the aid of the drugs but his instincts were trying to claw their way through his hazed mind. She spoke again.

"So, what do you think has become of the element?"

"I...suppose..." he caught a flash of urgency in her eyes and he couldn't tell if he was just paranoid because of the drugs or what but he was compelled to lie. "The most logical thing would be to test it somewhere first, probably Healin Lodge. You know, the facilities there."

She closed her clip board and rose, clicking off the recorded. He wasn't sure but he thought her hand slid to the dial on his meds again. "Thank you very much Reno, but you look tired again so I will let you rest. Shall we continue tomorrow?"

"Sure doc," he smiled trying to look flirtatious to cover his true concerns. "And ask about my buddies will ya? Not that your company isn't appreciated."

"Of course." She flashed a sexy grin at him then clicked out of the room in her high heals and shut the door. Reno listened but didn't hear it lock. He definitely felt a renewed wave of fatigue and went under after a few more moments.

Outside, Eve Levi was already handing out orders.

"Check the Healin Lodge facilities as soon as its dark."

"Yes boss." someone said.

"And put someone on Strife until I find out just how he is involved in all of this."

"Yes ma'am." Others ran off. She was left with just the doctor.

"Dr. Matsu, you looked concerned."

"Yes well, how much extra dose did you give him?" He said peering through the glass at Reno's shallow breaths.

"Despite my cover, I am not a doctor, that's what I hire you for. Why?"

"Because you may have over done it."

He opened the room and hurried over, shaking his head when he saw how much she'd increased the dose. He shut it off and injected a bit of adrenaline into the young man's system.

"Just so you know." he said when Levi entered behind, "that dose could have killed him. He's still weak and his heart can't take all these drugs."

She raised an eyebrow. "You actually sound concerned."

"Hey, a patient is a patient. I have no hate for the Turks I'm just in this for what you pay me."

"How touching, doctor. But believe me, this one has committed his fair share of crimes. He may be young, but it doesn't take long to become tainted. Besides, all those drugs will keep him docile, keep him talkative. I could be going about my interrogation in much crueler ways."

"What if he catches on?" Matsu asked tentatively.

"Then things will become much less pleasant, but your job will stay the same Doctor– keep him alive as long as I need him."

He glanced at the frail body in the bed one last time before swallowing and leaving the room. Eve Levi watched Reno breath, now much deeper and even, and for some reason felt the tug of a smile on her lips. Her captive wasn't entirely convinced, this one was clever. And clever always meant more fun.

* * *

Cloud stood staring at empty plains below and the gates of the ruins of Midgar looming up our of barren, dry land. He sighed and leaned against his bike. He'd been searching for days, exhausted, but unwilling to give up without something, some sort of evidence at least to show the Turks. But he had nothing other than a feeling and a few marks he saw in the sand to back up his claims. Tiffa would be heartbroken after he'd given her hope and he knew she was dying to tell Rude but he did not want to take the risk of hurting anyone else if he was wrong.

Still...his instincts were usually right. And so were his mako infused eyes when he thought he caught someone following him out the corner his vision. It kept happening, and here at least there was no where for anyone to hide. But as soon as he was back in the city he would get that feeling of eyes on him and find himself jumping at shadows. No, something was definitely going on, and maybe it was finally time to bring the Turks in on it.

Cloud gave a resigned sigh and straddled his bike once more. He didn't stop until he was at the gates of the newly constructed Shinra mansion and facilities in Edge.

"I need to see Rufus." he said, pushing his way past security but several arms clamped down on him until he came to a stop. "No, I don't have an appointment." He said, shaking them off.

"Sir, you can't just walk in."

"I need to talk to him."

"Sir." He saw several men reaching to their inside pockets and relented.

"Tell him its Cloud Strife."

Someone reacted to the name and then they all seemed to recognized him. But no one relaxed. The call was made however, and soon he was being escorted up the stairs to the main office.

"Cloud?" He heard the deep voice and inwardly cursed but met Rude's sunglassed gaze and came to a halt.

"Rude, you're back to work already?"

"Its been over two weeks." the Turk responded. "Where have you been?" He said seeing that Cloud hadn't any sense that much time had passed and that he was covered in sweat and dust.

"I've been working." Cloud said shortly.

"You find something else?"

"That's what I'm going to talk to Rufus about."

Rude nodded.

"And Rude."

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"Yeah."

He walked away, swallowing the guilt that crept up the back of his mind, but he knew he should take this to the least emotional one among the group before he started messing around with Rude and the others.

"Ah, Cloud, what a surprise." Rufus stood to greet him, back on his feet these days. "Might I ask what brings you here?"

"Reno."

Cloud was surprised to see emotion ghost over the business man's face.

"What about him? If you wish to give condolences, I would direct you to his team."

"No, I don't."

"Then what?"

"I don't think he's dead."

Rufus' jaw dropped slightly and he took step closer to Cloud. His intelligent eyes roamed Cloud's body, taking in the sandy dirt caked in his blond locks, the patterns of dried sweat forming on his skin and the tired bags beneath his eyes.

"What are you talking about? What have you been up to?"

"I noticed tracks in the desert. They were mostly covered, but I'm sure they were leading in the opposite direction of the crash.

"And?"

"And all the evidence your people found could easily have been thrown into the fire after collecting Reno. I think someone took him, and has him hidden somewhere."

"Are you telling me one of my people might be out there, and probably has been tortured for information for two weeks?"

"Yes but I–"

"And you have waited this long to come to me?" Cloud reacted to the hand that clenched around his arm, but stayed calm. Rufus pulled away and looked down at the grime on his palm. He calmed a little. "Ahh, I see. You yourself have been looking all this time. And you didn't want to say anything until you had proof."

"Hm." Cloud nodded.

Rufus shut his eyes and slid back into his chair. He scrubbed his face with his palms and then looked up at Cloud again.

"Thank you."

"What will you do?"

"I would like your continued help." Cloud nodded. "Good, then I will have you inform Tsueng of the detail and where you have already searched. He will map out a plan from there."

"Are you sure you want to bring them into this?"

"The Turks are professional, they will get the job done. And believe me, they will risk getting their hopes up if it there is any chance to save Reno."

"Fine."

"Cloud. You were going to say something...about the torture."

Cloud looked at Rufus Shinra and actually saw a human being rather than the faceless rich man he often took him for. When Cloud considered it, Rufus would have spent a lot of time with Reno over the past few years, no doubt even he could grow attached.

"I don't know. I just have a feeling that Reno couldn't have left that desert in very good shape. You can't torture someone until you're sure they won't die."

"So you're saying we still have time."

"Its been two weeks, I don't know, but I would say if they stole him from the desert, and tried to fake his death, then they were thinking long term."

"I see. Thank you." he called for the guard outside. "He will take you to Tseung, Cloud. Then please rest up in our guest facilities."

Cloud just nodded and followed the guard out the door.

* * *

**_Happy 2011!_**

**_Riza_**


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud was relieved it was only Tseung that he met in the Turk head office– though the director's reaction was strong enough– but he collected himself quickly and got the details out of Cloud. As soon as he was done, Cloud was taken to a luxurious room where he just wanted to flop down on the king sized bed but instead forced himself to shower off days worth of sweat and grime. He redressed and passed out on sheets so luxurious they probably would have cost him a handful of deliveries.

A few hours later, he woke to find food had been brought in and ate ravenously. Now, replenished, he felt the need to get back on the hunt and went looking for Tseung.

He heard the fist cutting through the air before it ever got close to him and spun to capture Rude's hand. The man was breathing heavy and scowling behind his glasses.

"I'm not going to fight you." Cloud said, guessing Rude's frustration.

"You little punk, you could have told me."

"No."

Rude pulled back and looked like he wanted to strike again but Cloud had his sword up to his throat in an instant.

"You were hurt, in more ways than one. Having someone weak and emotional on the search would have slowed it down." Rude growled. "So, are we going to waste more time on this, or are we going to start looking for your partner?"

Rude lowered his fist, Cloud his sword. Rude understood. He wouldn't try anything again, but pride more than anything forced him be angry at Cloud, if only for a few hours. Once on the search though, he was nothing but professional. The Turks took to the sky, Cloud to the ground. They didn't have many leads, but at least this way, Reno's chances improved significantly.

* * *

Reno's one bare foot touched cold tile. His other bandaged one shot pain through his whole leg and slipped on the smooth surface. His head swam with drugs but he's managed to pull the IV out so there weren't nearly as many in his system as the doctor suspected. Dr. Levi had been in to see him again, so many questions, mostly about Cloud today. He knew something was up, but he had to find out some more details. So while everyone thought he was in a drug induced sleep, he figured he'd go for a little stroll and check out this hospital.

It was very hard going. He hadn't actually stood in more than sixteen days. As well, his body had in fact taken an incredible beating in his fall, and everything hurt and only worked at half power. His trembling hands met the wall and he limped closer to it, his whole body resting on the vertical surface for a minute before continuing. Fortunately, there was a bit of a ledge for him to grip until he made it to the door.

He grasped the handle with his casted hand. He was nervous. Whatever lay beyond that door would either bring him comfort, or it would confirm his suspicions– which were not quite clear at the moment. He was just clear that he felt suspicious.

He shook his head out of the circular thoughts and opened the door. He found himself in a sterile looking hall. This looked promising. White, well lit, a gurney in one corner. He chose a direction, right, since he was already half turned that way, and hobbled as best he could to the end. There were no other windows in the hall, but that didn't mean anything. What _did _mean something was what he saw at the end of the hall. As soon as he rounded the corner, the sterility ended and he was facing grey cement, chunks missing out of it, rebar exposed in the ceiling, ventilation shafts dented and wheezing dry air.

His heart started pounding. It was all a lie. It wasn't a hospital, he could be anywhere. And these people, they were...who? The rivals that attacked? Must be. And they'd kept him here all this time, convinced him they were with Shinra– nearly convinced him, that is.

He grasped at the broken surface of the wall and felt a wave of dizziness. But this was it, he had to go now. They would just keep drugging him up and asking him questions– oh what had he already said to them? Who had he put in danger?

"Shit." he wheezed. But he was a Turk, and past the panic, the pain and the drugs, he managed to stay upright and keep moving. He shivered in the thin set of white scrubs he was wearing when he pressed on a heavy door and cool air wafted up to him. There was a stair case going down and one going up, but still no windows. He looked around for some indication of where he was but when the door shut, it clunked loudly and a voice called from below.

"Who's there?"

His chest constricted when he realized it was a guard. _Of course, why would they leave you unguarded, Reno?_ He thought. He pushed back through the door when he heard footsteps on the stairs below, but that must be a good indication that the exit was at least down. He moved as fast as he could in his condition down the hall. His foot now burned in pain but if he didn't make it now he was done.

He heard the door at the hall open just as he slid back into his own room. He all but hurled himself onto the bed and pulled up the covers just as he heard the guard press his face against his window. He had to fight to keep his breaths even and calm and didn't dare open his eyes for a long time. When he did and found himself alone, he gasped in pain and shock. His whole body hurt horribly, and shook tremendously, and he felt a surge of emotions as he realized just how alone he was. He covered his face with his hands but fell back on all he was taught and swallowed his emotions. If he was alone, he was the only one who could get him out of this. With terrible reluctance, he pushed the IV back into his arm and waited for the next visit from the doctor.

In a dark windowless room one floor above, Eve Levi stared silently at a glowing monitor. She watched Reno through the concealed camera in his room. She watched the pain in his face at his inward struggle before pushing the IV back into his arm.

"Hmmm, he is the clever one isn't he?" She raised an eyebrow at Matsu. He glanced and nodded.

"So, Dr. Matsu, this is how we're going to play this."

Matsu tried not to think of what he was doing to the young man on the screen, but, as always, as long as Levi paid up, he would do as she asked.

* * *

Dr. Matsu entered Reno's room quietly, almost jumping at the door closing behind him. Reno watched him carefully.

"What's up Doc?"

"Shh. Reno I know."

"What do you know?"

"I know you got out last night and saw where you are." the boy on the bed froze in fear.

"Its okay." Matsu raised his hands. "No one else knows."

"You didn't tell them?"

"No, I'm a doctor. She hired me to save your life. I played along with her scheme but I didn't know it would go on for this long. I just needed the money and–"

"Doc, get to the point."

"I want to help you."

"How can I trust you?"

"What choice do you have?" He looked Reno over. He was trembling. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

He looked him over and saw the IV was out of his arm. He reached to put it back in.

"No." Reno recoiled.

"You won't last without it. Two weeks, you're body's addicted, you can't just go cold turkey like that. See, this is why you need me."

Reno hissed as the needle slid into his arm. "You said it was pain meds, but what is it really?"

"Several things, including pain meds, but mostly to keep you controlled, and to get you talking."

Reno shut his eyes in frustration. He couldn't even remember some sessions since he'd gotten so drugged out and he feared what he might have told them.

"So who are they?"

"You don't know?"

"The newest in a long line of Shinra wanna-bees"

Matsu nodded. "But I only know their leader, Eve Levi, she hired me."

Reno's eyes shot open. Sure, he knew by now she had to work for them but their leader?

"Shit." he cursed. "And here I thought she was hot. So what's the plan doc?"

The man raised his shoulders helplessly. "I'm not the trained assassin."

"Hey, we do other things." Reno shot back.

"You know what I mean, this is not my area of expertise."

"Call my buddies, tell em where I am, end of story." The Turk offered.

"No outside communications."

"What?"

"Sorry."

"Shit."

"Any other plans?"

"I..." but he had nothing. "Okay, at least tell me what she wants. If this is about the element, why hasn't she tried to trade me back to them for it?"

"She will. But not before she gets as many secrets about Shinra from you as possible. That's why she faked your death, after all."

"She what?" He clutched the rails of his bed but Matsu put his hands on his shoulders.

"Shh, kid, relax will you?"

"They think I'm dead?"

"I'm afraid so."

"They bought it?"

"Well, after the condition your partner was in it wasn't hard to believe."

"R-rude? What? I thought he was fine!"

Matsu shook his head, "still in hospital as I understand it, not expected to get out again."

He watched Reno's entire body slump. He fell back on the slightly tilted-up bed and his good hand rose to clutch at his chest.

"They took my hair." he breathed, his mind putting it all together.

"Yes."

"And now they all think I'm dead."

"Yes."

"And Rude..." he took a shuddering breath. "So no one is looking for me?"

Matsu shook his head and gave Reno's shoulder a squeeze before standing to leave. He saw the glimmer of tears in the young man's eyes but he didn't succumb, he just lay unmoving, staring at the white wall of the room.

His work here was done.

* * *

Cloud pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket and slipped into an alley, feeling eyes burning into him. But every time he looked, he saw no one. The phone buzzed persistently and he pulled it out.

"Tiffa?"

"Cloud, its been days since you checked in, what's going on?"

"I got the Turks involved." He heard her gasp slightly. "I know, but they can handle it."

"I was just thinking about Rude."

"I know."

"So where are you?"

"Midgar, Sector 5 I think."

"Midgar?"

"Yeah, I just...can't shake the feeling that we've been a lot closer to Reno this whole time than we thought. The Turks are covering every other possibility, I asked them to leave this one to me."

"And they left you alone?"

"Not exactly." Quiet steps outside the alley brought Cloud's head up and he spotted his companion. Giving a low whistle, he waved him into the alley.

"Rude's with me." The larger man raised and eyebrow at why they were hiding.

"Cloud, let me come help if you're that close."

"Its not safe here Tiffa, I'd rather you stay with the kids."

"Cloud."

"Tiffa..." He sighed and thought the situation over before relenting. "Okay. Meet us in the Church."

"Okay." there was a click before Cloud could change his mind.

"You go meet her." He said to Rude. "But don't go where you could get Mako poisoning."

"The plan was for us to stick together." Rude protested.

"I know. But there are a lot of places I can go that you two can't. If you want to find Reno, this is our best option. I'll stay in touch." He indicated his phone then slid it into his pocket.

"Wait, Cloud."

"Hm?"

"Thanks for your help."

The young man just nodded and continued through the city. He was sure he felt the eyes following him and not Rude. That was good. At least now Rude and Tiffa would be safer and maybe he'd finally be able to see who was following him.

* * *

"He plans to escape tomorrow." Matsu reported to Eve Levi.

"And go to the old Shinra Mansion?"

"Probably. Though it would take a miracle for him to get there in his shape."

"Well let's hope for a miracle. This works perfectly. We've searched what's left of the old facilities from top to bottom but found nothing of interest. I know there are buried secrets there, if we let him escape and follow him. He'll lead us right to them."

"Alright. I'll give him some pain killers and adrenaline in the morning then."

"Good. How long do you think he'll last?"

"Might make it a couple of hours before withdrawal hits. And you know what happens at midnight."

"Well it won't come to that, now will it? You did your job well, Dr. Matsu, almost had me believing you."

He just nodded, not wanting to dwell on the matter two long. "Ma'am, I heard there were others in the city."

"Yes, the ones he keeps mentioning, Cloud Strife, and his partner. But they are being watched. I'll make sure they don't interfere. You just do your job."

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

Around three or four in the morning, Matsu slipped into Reno's room and shook him awake.

"Doc?"

"Now is your chance." He pushed the adrenaline into Reno's IV and let it filter into his arm before pulling it out and then removing all the other equipment he was attached to. Then he lowered the rail on the bed and helped Reno to his feet. It had now been three weeks and the young Turk had been walking back and forth in his room to get his strength up. The doctor shoved a syringe into his hand. "Take this, use it on the guard in the stairwell. Go down three flights, then you're out."

"Where are we though?"

"Midgar."

Reno gasped. He had been this close to home the whole time? But Matsu didn't give him a chance to process this new. "Now go."

"You aren't coming?"

"She'd kill me. This way, once you're gone, I can just walk away, bank account in check."

Reno just nodded. So the doc was a coward and needed a few bucks, he couldn't ask for more help than he'd already been given.

"Good luck then, Doc." Then he was limping as quickly as possible through dark hallways. He made it to the stairs, eased the door open and crept down as quietly as possible. The guard only turned at the last second when Reno fully launched himself on him, the syringe uncapped and aimed for his exposed neck. The guy went out quickly and Reno continued his descent.

He was met with a sick mixture of smells and a cold breeze when he opened the door. He had lost several pounds in the last weeks, was barefoot and clad in just his scrubs– but he was not about to turn back. He couldn't quite identify the sector but it didn't really matter as all of the city was built around one thing– and that one thing was his destination.

Thought most of the Shinra building had been destroyed, he knew there were some things still intact, mostly he hoped to find a phone, but if not, he was sure the old basement lab would be there, and he could hide there until he got a better plan.

He realized he must be near Sector Seven, since he was clearly in the slums but could see through the hole left by the lost plate and spot the decapitated Shinra facilities. But then again, who knew what other plates had fallen since then?

He had grown up down here, but nothing was familiar in the dark and in his current condition. His chest already hurt and lungs already burned from both the half toxic air and the exertion. His white scrubs were filthy within five minutes as he constantly stumbled over debris and used whatever he could to support himself. He had to completely shut out the pain in his feet and just keep going.

It was probably one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, getting to the centre of the plates, to the secret entrance he hoped was still there to take him into the Shinra building and down to the labs.

By the time he reached it, the sun had breached the horizon but only streaks made there way through the city above him to light his way. His body was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt and fresh blood from new cuts from his multiple falls. But he found the old door, nearly invisible, as it was meant to be, and fortunately the lock had been broken and he was able to get inside.

Somehow, lights still flickered here and there and he managed to make it to the lab. He fell into a chair and just breathed for a long time. He felt like he was going to pass out but he had to hang on. He saw the mako tanks and shivered, remembering countless faces that had been drug into them unwillingly. Cloud had been one, though truly that had been the only way for him to survive the wound Sephiroth inflicted on him.

These two tanks must be the only ones left, the only means of making new Soldiers as powerful as Cloud and Zack had been, he thought. He was sure Rufus knew about them, and wondered why they'd never been sent to recover them. But then, Shinra was trying to get past all that, right? He looked further, trying to find a phone.

There. He hobbled over to a desk. Beyond it, the rest of the lab had been damaged, caved in more like it. If there was nothing on this desk, that was it, his hopes were shattered. But, he reached it, and found what he wanted so desperately. For a moment he just stared at it, afraid to pick up the reciever and hear it dead. But it the lights were still on...

Buzz...the drone of a connection made his heart leap and he immediately began dialling Rude.

A shot rang out through the room and Reno fell back, the phone in his hand shattered by the bullet.

"Shit." He scrambled back, seeing men coming down the stairs. There was another exit, he knew, he just had to find it. He looked behind him at the caved in section, it was unstable, but what other choice did he have? He ran into the dark network of broken walls and jagged metal. He ignored any pains in absolute desperation to get away.

But it was a joke, chasing him in his state, his body already starting to feel the withdrawal on top of his exhaustion. He cried out when the hands clamped down on his frail shoulders and pulled him backwards, into the lit lab. He was thrown roughly to the floor and surrounded.

Reno could hardly breath. He clutched his stomach and just lay there, not knowing how much more he could take, how much more fear and pain. He was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted and when he heard the click of her heels he felt the sobs he'd been holding back for days explode out of him.

"Oh, there, there." Levi said in a mock friendly voice, her hand stroking his short hair. "Its alright you did well. We searched for this lab for so long, and now look, you've brought us right to it."

His only reaction was to curl into himself more.

"I must say, Dr. Matsu was a good actor, don't you think?"

Anger flared through Reno and he managed to cling to that, rather than the despair. He pressed his hands into the floor and push himself to his knees.

"Oh, there is the spirit I've heard of." She said. "But it would be best if you stayed down." She reached out and wiped away the last tear falling down his face. "I have no desire to hurt you more than necessary."

But his face was set in grim determination. "Bitch!" He launched himself at her, hands catching her throat. She laughed at first, as tiny as she was she must have outweighed him at this point and his grip was feeble, but then his cast came down on her and she barely blocked it, her own hand cracking painfully in the process. The men leapt forward now, Reno caught another with his cast before he was drug off her. He flailed in one last burst of enraged energy but a fist to his gut doubled him over and when they dropped him he puked.

"He won't last like this." Matsu stepped forward. Reno lying on his side clutching his stomach but his eyes flashed dangerously when he saw the doctor.

"Stay away from me you bastard!" But he was trembling and his stomach convulsed again. His whole body was wracked with pain and he could do nothing to resist when Matsu knelt next to him and injected him with a cool liquid.

"That should keep him alive." he heard the doctor say when darkness came.

* * *

_**Well, I was going to cut it off earlier than that but I really wanted to take it a little further and end on a little less of a cliff hanger, so I hope you enjoyed and I will try to post the next chapter soon. And thanks for the reviews so far, keep them coming!**_

**_Riza_**


	4. Chapter 4

Even the calm demeanor of Cloud Strife was struck by the sight below. He'd just watched them drag Reno to another section of the lab, close to where he knew the tanks were– he shuddered involuntarily from his perch in the broken ceiling. He'd worked his way down through all the wreckage of the Shinra building, past leaking poison and inhaled a lot more toxins than he should have, but the sounds below had reverberated up to him through the broken shafts and he knew he had finally found their friend.

"Dammit." He swore under his breath. There was no way his cell phone would reach outside these walls but Reno needed him now. He didn't know what exactly they'd done to him, but by the way he'd broken down just now, and the uncontrolled puking, he did not look good. He gripped the hilt at his back reassuringly and made to jump, but stopped when he saw the blonde raise a hand to her ear.

"He is? Thank you, I will deal with it." She lowered her hand from her com and in a split second her gun was in her hand. Cloud didn't realize what happened until the bullet was in his shoulder and he was crashing through the hole in the ceiling to the floor below.

Before he could move she had his sword arm pinned beneath one heeled shoe and the gun just inches from his face. He was stunned until he saw the flash of mako blue in her eyes and then something hit his head and he was out.

* * *

Tiffa shoved her phone back into her pocket once more.

"Still not answering." She hissed in frustration, half to herself, half to the bald man behind her.

"Maybe he found something." Any hope he may have was held in check by the Turk inside him. He would carry out this mission uncompromised to the end. Tiffa however, was getting anxious.

"If he has, then why hasn't he called? What if he did find them, and they got him too?"

"Its Cloud."

"He's not invincible."

Rude gripped her arm and she felt a wave of guilt that he was comforting her when it was his partner who was missing, so she composed herself and looked up at his shaded eyes.

"He was headed for the centre of the city, why don't we go that way and see what we can find out?"

Rude nodded. "But this time, I'm calling back up."

"Good idea."

* * *

Cloud woke feeling heavy. His arms were chained painfully above his head, the only reason he was on his feet. He saw blood trail down unstoppered from the bullet wound in his shoulder. He tried to open his mouth but it was duct taped shut and his eyes wandered up until he saw Reno at the other side of the room. The red head was strapped into a chair, his back to Cloud, probably didn't even know he was there. Then someone blond stepped in his line of sight.

"Hello," she whispered, and he was sure now they hadn't let Reno see him. "We're going to get some more information out of the little Turk while we still can, but you have some answers I want too. You tell me where you found that element now and you can save yourself and Reno a lot of pain."

He strained against the chains in defiance but felt strong arms steady him from either side and saw two huge goons.

"Don't think you're the only rogue Soldier out there, Cloud. My friends and I have just been biding our time. Now, unless you have the answers I want, don't make a fuss and enjoy the show."

He narrowed his eyes to indicate he wouldn't give in and continued to struggle against the chains and the Soldiers but it was pointless. His strength was slowly bleeding out of him. His thoughts went back to Rude and Tiffa. If these people were ex-Soldier, then they were all in trouble. But watching Levi approach Reno, he knew who needed his help most right now.

Levi walked around in front of Reno. His head barely lifted to meet her. Something still drained into his veins through an IV line, but it did nothing in it to dull the pain in his body. He felt so weak and so tired and he just wanted to fade away, but her hand was under his chin, her face just inches from his, and he couldn't escape reality.

"Alright, no more mind games and no more round about questions. These are Mako tanks, right? Like the ones used on Cloud Strife?"

He just stared at her. A slap rang through the room. Water rose in his right eye but he stared back at her just as stone faced.

"It doesn't really matter though does it? What I want to know, is everything about the _new_ Shinra corporation. And most of all, where you got the information on the element. Now, I know it was Cloud Strife, but where did he get his information?"

Reno shrugged, though it hurt. "He's a mysterious guy."

The other side of his face stung, but the blow to his stomach rocked his whole body and he bent forward and much as the restraints would allow. She pulled his head back up by the hair and he stared at her defiantly.

"Tell me about him."

"Sure thing." He smiled. And once again he fell back on his best survival tactic– humour. "He's hilarious, I mean, you should hear the jokes this guy tells. And talking– sheesh, you can never get him to shut up. And talk about a ladies man, he–"

She gripped his left hand and pulled out her knife. "You know, I kind of liked you Reno, and I gave you every opportunity to give me answers without resorting to such tactics, but enough is enough. No more jokes." He tried to jerk away but of course he was still tied down and so could do nothing but scream when the knife point drove through his palm and came out the other side.

Several metres behind him, Cloud screamed in rage underneath his duct tape. Someone struck him on the back of the head and his vision swam before refocusing. He watched Levi slowly twist the blade while Reno bowed his head, teeth bitting into his lower lip to keep from screaming further.

"Impressive." She said when she finally stopped and he couldn't help the dry sob that escaped him.

"Oh, you bitch." he breathed. "That wasn't impressive, that was Turk training at its finest."

"Turks? I'm not all that impressed with them, and you shouldn't be either when they gave up on you so quickly. Remember, no one know's you are alive. No one is coming for you. I have all the time in the world to extract the information I need from you." Her words were dark and bit deep.

For Cloud her words were just as painful as he realized what Reno had thought all along– though that he had been abandoned and no one was coming for him.

"Reno, save yourself the pain and tell me about the element." Her hand rested on the knife in his hand again and he began to shake, his body unable to handle much more suffering. But his nerves remained determinedly in place.

"Sister, you are gonna do what you are gonna do but I ain't talking."

He couldn't hold back the scream this time and in desperation to escape the pain he threw what little weight he had against the back of his chair.

It rocked, then tumbled and his head smacked against the floor. He almost wished for everything to go black but it didn't. However, a second later he was glad, because his eyes saw something wonderful and horrible at the other side of the room.

"Cloud?" He whispered first then more strongly, "CLOUD!" Levi cursed and someone was hauling his chair back up, but he saw the young blond struggling hard against his bonds– bloodied and weakened, but there, proof that he was not alone.

"HA!" He laughed at Levi. "So much for no one looking for me!"

"He's the only one."

"Bullshit!" Reno barked back.

"And he just watched you get tortured. He could end it, tell us what we want to know."

But her harsh words were met with another laugh. "Course he wouldn't say! Why the Hell would he? We're both professionals." He smiled, his mind racing to all the possibilities of who else might be out there, did Cloud have a plan? Would he break free now and kill everyone here? And were the Turks just waiting to bust in and save him?

"Don't get your hopes up Reno." She said seeing the new defiance in his face. "Even if the Turks did find us, they wouldn't be a match for us." She leaned close and allowed that eerie blue light of mako infusion to flash in her eyes. He gasped. "Yes, we are all ex-Shinra Soldiers. We may not know the secrets you do, but we have the strength to drag them out of you and take down all the other Turks. And with these two mako tanks, we can get stronger."

Reno's smile faded. So that's how they had caught Cloud. The boy was talented, but Soldiers were not a force to laugh at. He knew.

"Then nothin's changed. I'm still not talking."

She patted his head as if in sympathy. "Okay, if that's what you want." When she turned her back he saw someone present a tray of instruments to her and his heart raced. He resisted looking back over his shoulder at Cloud, knowing it would do no good.

* * *

"The others will be here in five." Rude whispered. They crouched in the centre of Midgar, watching the guards at the door.

"What are we going to do?" Tiffa asked. He looked at her and she understood, even if those serious eyes were hidden behind tinted glass.

"Okay, on three. One, two, three!"

She jumped high, landing a powerful kick on the guard to the right. Rude downed his with one punch next to her. He threw the door open. Meeting two more, but nothing was stopping him now and the guards tumbling down the stairs before Tiffa could even react.

"So much for surprise." she muttered.

Rude just grunted, following the falling bodies down the stairs.

When they burst into the room, all was silent and still for one moment. Tiffa screamed Cloud's name, seeing him chained up and bleeding. Rude stared at the blond woman who had pliers in Reno's mouth, frozen in surprise by their sudden entrance.

"Eh Padna" Reno managed around the pliers and then the room erupted in violence.

Reno gasped in relief when the pliers dropped and his mouth remained full of teeth but cringed at the loud gun fire all around him.

Rude and Tiffa dodged behind a turned over table. He'd already caught a bullet in the arm but ignored it and clutched his own weapon tightly. He looked at Tiffa, then to Cloud. "Go."

She nodded and he gave her covering fire. Several men dropped dead, Soldier or not, a well aimed bullet was still deadly.

But they were terribly outnumbered. Tiffa reached Cloud without getting hit but the men restraining him would not make it easy for her. She dodged and struck and took a blow but never stopped.

Cloud watched in fury, but now it was only chains that held him. They were looped over a hook high above, but he didn't hesitate before jumping up, grabbing the chains and climbing until he reached it, even with his wounded shoulder. He slipped the chain loop off the hook and dropped back to the ground.

Tiffa took a hard hit and rolled on the ground gasping. Rod in hand, one of the Soldiers made to finish her but his weapon suddenly became looped in chains and was yanked away. He looked up and both men realized their mistake.

By the time Tiffa got to her feet, the men were down and she ran to Cloud. He was peeling the tape of his mouth and breaching hard.

"My sword." He nodded to the corner where it had been discarded and she helped him over to it.

"Cloud, you're shot." But he ignored her, ramming his wrists into his blade and severing the chains. He leaned against the hilt to help him stand, but with the sword back in his hands, he seemed stronger.

"Go for Reno, okay." He said. She didn't argue.

He leapt into the air and hammered down, the force of his strike shaking the whole room.

Tiffa ran. Bullets still whizzed by, Rude never stopped firing but there were just so many of them. She made it to the chair but a hard blow sent he sprawling.

"Tiffa!" Reno cried and she rolled from the blond woman's second strike. She dodged Levi's incredibly powerful blows and she thought she felt a snap in her arm when she deflected a kick. A second kick to her abdomen knocked her flat.

"Tiffa run!" Reno urged but his scream died as Levi's descending fist was gripped from behind. "Rude..."

"Hey Reno. Sorry I'm late."

"Never late partner, just on time."

Levi turned on the large Turk and Tiffa didn't waste a second getting to Reno's chair. She ripped away the straps and tried to pull him to his feet but his knees buckled and he collapsed.

"Sorry." He wheezed against her. "Guess I'll just have to stay like this." she blushed, his head was resting against her chest, but some relief washed through her that he was still making jokes.

"Come here you." She slid her arms under his and hoisted him up, her heart sinking at how light he was. She managed to get him to the caved in section, backing in just enough to shield them from the bullets.

"Is there another way out from here?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Probably buried. 'Sides, I don't think I can move again." She gripped him tighter, sitting with him slouched against her, with her own back against the rough wall of the opening. She reached down to his left hand, the knife still in it.

"Wait." he hissed, recoiling. She felt his whole body shaking in weakness.

"I think I should take it out." He said nothing but didn't resist when she reached again and took his wrist. "Don't look." she whispered, pressing his face into her shoulder before getting a grip of the handle. In one fluid motion she pulled it out. He jerked and cried out but when he faced her he smiled.

"Wasn't so bad." His voice was faint.

"Hold on Reno." She wrapped the wound with the bandage from his wrist and then turned her attention back to the battle in the main room. Rude was bloodied but holding his own against the powerful woman. Cloud held back the others with unrelenting energy.

"Tell me you brought back up." Reno moaned but before she could even answer there was a bright white light, a flash bang stunned them all, and then it was all over.

When their vision cleared, they saw the whole room was dead silence. Rude was picking himself up, shaking his head. Men were restraining Levi and Tseung was helping Cloud to his feet.

Rude looked around until he spotted them.

"I heard you were in a coma." Reno said with a lopsided grin when his partner knelt next to him.

"I heard you were dead." Rude responded.

"Huh..." but too much had happene for Reno to keep smiling. To much pain and too much fear and when those strong arms closed around his all too thin body he couldn't hold it in.

Tiffa watched Rude's face as he stood with his young partner. One hand was lost in Reno's hair, holding his head against his chest, the other around his waist to keep him upright. He was feeling the ribs that were far too exposed, the tears that soaked his shirt, the tremors running through Reno's body. He was seeing the chair, the tools, the IV of drugs, and his face showed a hate and anger like Tiffa had never seen when he finally looked to the blonde woman now being hauled to her feet. She watched his muscles bunch and knew what he wanted to do, but suddenly he stopped, feeling Reno go limp, and knew that more than revenge, he needed to get his partner some help.

"Tseung." He called, reaching to pull Reno's legs up under his other arm. Their leader saw and nodded. "Take the helicopter." Rude shot a glance over his shoulder at Tiffa, she nodded and followed, grabbing Cloud's hand.

"Come on," she instructed. "This battle is done. Let's get you fixed up."


	5. Chapter 5

Reno woke violently in the Shinra facilities but felt a steady hand grip his shoulder. He looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Partner. So it wasn't all a dream." Rude felt his friend's light weight press into his hand and lowered him back on the bed, though keeping him propped up on pillows. Reno's eyes closed momentarily but he forced himself to stay awake.

"What's the damage?" he asked, noting Rude's right arm in a sling.

"Bullet."

"And me?"

"Withdrawal."

"Huh, and after all those years of saying no." He smiled again.

"You'll be alright a few days, shouldn't even feel any side effects. The boss made sure of it."

"He did?"

Rude nodded. "Rufus was glad to get you back in more or less one piece. So were the rest of us."

"Haha, couldn't live with out me huh?"

"Don't get full of yourself."

Reno shut his eyes again, pulling the sheets closer to him. "They cut my hair." he moaned and Rude just chuckled.

"An improvement, I'd say."

"Shuddup." and he was out again.

* * *

It wasn't long, however, before Reno came around again. Cloud, his wounded shoulder bandaged, and Tiffa were talking with Rude at his bedside when they noticed him half wake. His fingers dug into the sheets and he moved his legs back and forth restlessly, his head rolling from side to side and brow furrowed.

"Reno." Tiffa called, like a mother waking a child from a bad dream. "Hey, your safe."

"No..." he moaned, eyes closed and the agitation building. Rude stepped up and put a solid hand on his chest.

"Come on partner, wake up, you'll see."

"No..." he moaned again and Tiffa saw the sweat on his brow. She placed her hand against his forehead and gasped.

"I'll get the doctor." Cloud said without having to be asked.

"Hey, Reno," Rude called louder. "Wake up!"

"No...it hurts..." His eyes opened again and he saw them. His broken hand lifted to Tiffa and his fingers bit into her. His eyes showed desperation. "Shiiit." was all he wheezed. She grasped his hand in comfort but his eyes fell to Rude. There were no words. Rude kept a firm hand against his chest and Reno's heavily bound left hand came to rest over top of his.

"Its okay Buddy." Rude said, hoping it actually would be.

Cloud came rushing back in with the doctor and his team in tow and everyone backed off. Machines started whirring, people were shouting that Reno's levels of this and that were all over the place then...

"He's going into cardiac arrest!"

Tiffa gripped Rude's arm, his whole body was rigid as he watched his friend dying.

Neither of them noticed Cloud step away and answer his phone.

"Tseung?"

"How is Reno?" The director asked like he expected something to be wrong.

"Cardiac Arrest, what do you know?"

"The enemy...she just told me if I want him to live, I have to give her the element and release her."

"What?"

"They did something to him, but I don't know what."

"There was a doctor with him, did you–"

"He's dead. Killed in the skirmish. Now she's the only one that knows how to save him."

Cloud clutched the phone. He watched the doctors ease up. "Looks like they stabilised him...for now."

"She said in if he didn't get another dose of what they were giving him, he'd die in twenty four hours."

Cloud looked at the clock, nearing ten thirty. "Its been over twenty hours since the shoot out."

"I know."

"What will you do?"

There was silence.

"Tseung."

"Cloud, give the phone to Rude."

Cloud hesitated but as if his Turk instincts suddenly came to life, Rude was walking toward him. Cloud handed over his cell.

He watched Rude take the orders as if they were any other but knowing he must be screaming on the inside right now. He was nothing, if not professional.

He tossed the phone back to Cloud and headed to Reno's bedside.

"Is he stable?"

"I don't know for how long."

Without saying anything else, he began to gather up his young companion while unplugging leads and electrodes.

"What's up buddy?" Reno sighed into his shoulder, barely able to keep his head up.

"Cloud, get the wheel chair." Rude ordered then to Reno, "We're going to get you better, okay?"

Reno's eyes flashed worry. "What is it?"

"She did something to you."

Reno's eyes shifted for only a moment in silent thought. "The drugs."

Rude nodded.

"Damn." Reno sighed when he was lowered into the chair. Then he clutched Rude's arm.

"Wait. You're taking me to her right?"

"Tseung thinks its best. It will be alright."

"I'm not scared, partner, but I'm not going to her looking like this, not after being in scrubs for weeks, get me my clothes."

Rude sighed but nodded.

Cloud and Tiffa followed in tense silence behind.

* * *

Reno did his best to walk in to the room where Eve Levi was being held. He had one arm over Rude's shoulders of course, the only way he would ever have managed the task, but he had been determined to face his captor as a Turk this time. He had his trademark goggles on his head, his black blazer open, white shirt untucked, hanging even loser than before because of all the weight he'd lost. In fact, when he'd changed and looked himself over in the mirror, he'd seen for the first time just how much his body had gone through. And of course, he had cursed obsessively over the loss of his pony tail.

But now he stood as confidently as he could before her.

"Yo Doc." He smiled flirtatiously like he had the first time they'd met.

"You should know by now, Reno, that was just my cover."

"Course, but I liked you better when you were just drugging me up and questioning me than when you were twisting knives in my hand."

"I tried to get the information out of you as painlessly as possible. I could have been torturing you for three weeks, since it took your friends so long to find us."

"Enough!" Tseung abruptly smacked the blond woman who was already a little worse for wear and she staggered slightly. She stood between two guard and her hands were cuffed before her.

"Ooo, touchy subject. Doesn't like to be reminded of his failings." She smirked and Tseung raised his hand again but Reno held up his own.

"Tseung, don't bother. If you really want to make it up to me you can just give me a raise."

His boss said nothing but dropped his hand. Elena watched him carefully.

"So what did you do to me?" Reno asked, shifting his weight against Rude, he was starting to feel a pressure in his chest and he was getting tired.

"Among the various drugs Dr. Matsu had been giving you was a special one. Unfortunately he was the one who could tell you the details but the long and the short of it is this: you need an injection every 24 hours or your heart stops and you die. Simple, easy."

"I've heard of such drugs, but not in these parts." Tseung added.

"It pays to travel. Now, are we going to talk deal here? In his condition, I'm surprised Reno's heart hasn't already stopped." There was a strained silence and their faces told her it had indeed already happened. Tseung's hands were clenched tightly but his voice remained calm.

"So you want your freedom and the element and in return–"

"I'll give him the dose."

"Then what happens to him in another 24 hours?"

"Okay, I give him the dose and I give you the formula of how to make it."

Reno's eyes widened a bit. "Wait, but what's the cure? How do I stop taking it?"

Eve faced him seriously. "Honey, you don't have to worry about that until your boss agrees to my terms and decided what your life is worth."

Reno glared at her but then turned to Tseung. What would be the price of his life?

"Its not his decision." The voice came from behind them and the group turned. Rufus Shinra strolled in.

"Ah, the head hancho." Levi smiled. "Pleased to meet you."

"I can't say the same."

"You seem to be empty handed. So you've decided that Reno's life isn't worth what I want."

"No, it isn't."

Cloud clutched Tiffa's hand before she reacted. Rude tensed and tightened his grip around Reno but the red head didn't react at all. He met Eve's eyes, her own equally as calm.

"I told you Reno, that you put too much faith in the Turks."

"Its not up to the Turks." Rufus continued, "Its up to Shinra, and Reno understands that. What we possess could give power back to the people of Edge. It could bring the hope we promised to restore after nearly destroying the world. Any Turk and any decent human being knows their life isn't worth that."

Silence followed. Then Eve Levi smiled.

"Perhaps I should clarify. He won't just die. In fact, he should already be feeling it. There will be pain, like nothing else a person can experience. What's he got, an hour, maybe two? You going to watch him suffer like that?"

Rude glanced down, saw in Reno's eyes that he was in fact already feeling something. But his defiance was unwavering.

"Doesn't change anything." Reno responded before Rufus could. "The boss here is right, we won't give you the element for anything."

Eve Levi bit her lip in frustration. "Fine." She spoke harshly. "Then a life for a life. Free me, and I will save him."

Rufus stared her down, but before he could respond Reno jerked in Rude's grip and clutched his chest.

"Reno!" He eased him to the floor, the others rushed to their side.

"It's getting worse." he gasped.

Rude stood up and turned in silent furry to the woman but saw too late what happened.

They'd all allowed themselves to be distracted by their companion's pain. The guards were already on their knees and the one person in the room who could match Eve's speed was frozen with her in a stand off. Cloud held his sword to her neck, but she held both guards' guns: one pointed at his head, the other at Tiffa's.

"I would love to see who is faster, Strife, but I know you'll never put your girlfriend here at risk. So do us a favour and drop that oversized piece of metal."

Cloud might have risked it if it was just his life, and Tiffa would have told him to take the risk if it was just her life, but like this they were both frozen. Levi had already won.

Rude's hand twitched towards his holster but Eve saw every move.

"Do it and they're both dead." His hand reluctantly relaxed.

"What now?" Rufus demanded.

"Now I make my exit."

"Just give us the serum, please." Tiffa begged.

"I don't have it, not here." The blond contemplated for a moment, "but I'm not without a heart, or a brain. I know you have security everywhere, snipers, so here's what we'll do. You," she nodded to Cloud, "will drop that sword and pick up Reno. And you," she indicated Rufus, "we'll lead us out of here."

Everyone waited in silence but Rufus spoke up. "Alright."

Cloud glanced between the president and Eve, then dropped his sword.

"Good. Now," she motioned him over to Reno and Rufus over to her.

"Ah shit..." Reno wheezed when Cloud lifted him to his feet. He managed to stay there but leaned heavily on Cloud. Rufus was now at gunpoint before Eve and her gun slowly left Tiffa to aim for Cloud.

It was a long walk out of the Shinra building. Eve took every precaution and Reno couldn't move very fast. But they made it out into the bright sunlight and in a matter of seconds a large armoured truck skidded to a halt in front of the building.

"How did they know?" Rufus demanded as men jumped out, guns bared.

"My people? They always know."

"You're more than just another Shinra rival. Who are you?"

"No more questions. Strife, hand him over."

"Reno." Cloud looked down at the pale Turk, his breath ragged and face creased in pain. "Do it Cloud. I'll take my chances." his statement was followed by a sharp cry and his knees gave out. Two men met Cloud to take him but his grip stayed firm on the Turk.

"Will you really save him?" He met Eve's eyes.

"What would be the point of taking him if I just intended to let him die?"

"And then what? You'll let him go?"

"That depends on Rufus. If he doesn't send anyone after me, then sure, I'll let Reno go. But that includes you, Strife. If I find you on my trail, he's dead."

"Cloud let go." Reno whispered. "Its okay." Finally, he lifted his hands and Reno was taken into the truck. Eve backed away from Rufus until she was in the comfortable surroundings of her men.

"Bye-bye boys." She slipped into the truck, the men after her and then it tore off, disappearing quickly on the barren plains.

"What now?" Cloud asked simply because he himself did not know.

"Now I face my men after handing one of my own over to the clutches of the enemy." Rufus turned silently and walked back inside. Cloud continued to stare at the horrizon, but after a few more minutes, he too, turned back.

**END PART I**

**

* * *

**

_**Sorry for the long delay since the last chapter. Been a busy couple weeks getting back into the swing of things after Christmas break. Anyway, just in case this confuses anyone, I just broke the story up into three parts because there are kind of three phases to this story, but I won't be taking any longer to get the next chapter up and it will still be published this story. Perhaps I will even get the next chapter up this weekend...depends of my level of productivity, lol. Anyway, let me know what you thought of part one and I will get to editing part II.**_

_**Riza**_


	6. Chapter 6

The horrible jostling, crowded, painful drive to Eve Levi's base was long– hours long. Reno couldn't even think where they could be possibly headed it was so long. She had saved his life. The clenching pain in his chest had increased but one of her men produced the syringe and she herself had injected it.

Then came relief, brief unconsciousness, but the jostling and the noise was too much and every other pain in his body reacted to it. He didn't move the entire trip. Men sat military style on benches on either side of the armoured truck while he was sprawled on the floor between their boots. Eve was up front until finally, thankfully, the long drive ended.

Someone hauled Reno out, he blinked and felt nauseous and clung to dear life to whoever it was, surprised when his vision cleared to see it was Eve herself.

"Where?" he asked weakly.

"A long way from Midgar and Edge."

"For all I know you were just driving in circles for my benefit."

"I see why you wouldn't trust me, but does this look like that wasteland to you?"

His eyes widened, seeing water– a lake, he thought– and what looked like an orchard. Some unspoilt piece of the planet and next to it a mansion.

"Whoa."

"You like it?"

"Who _are _you?"

"We're more than just simple rivals, Reno, we're the people who _are _going to replace Shinra. We'll get our hands on that element, or more just like it, and then we'll control everything."

"Ahh, one of those take over the world kind of girls, just my type."

She just smiled as she pulled him up the stairs and into the huge building. It was an old manor, he guessed, modernized and customized to her needs. They walked past a kitchen, a living room with a huge tv and fire place and built-in bar and then down a long hall of bedrooms until they finally stopped at one.

"Is this where you live?" he asked.

"Yes, but more importantly, this is where _you_ live now." She said leading him inside. She pulled his arms off her, and as she was all that was keeping him up he sunk into the bed to which she'd lead him.

"You were on bed rest, were you not?" she said. "Enjoy."

"Wait, what are you going to do with me?"

She smiled at him. "Tonight Reno, a new game begins."

Her cryptic words were unsettling but he was on a clean and comfortable bed and his body was slowly failing him so he gave in to sleep.

* * *

He woke much later to the pain again. He let out a gasp and as if on cue she strode in.

"How did you sleep?"

"I need another dose."

"Ah, but that's the thing isn't it?" she said flicking on a light. He blinked up, sweat already trickling from his temples.

"What's the thing? You gonna let me die now that you've drug me all the way out here and into your bed?"

"That depends on you. Prove you're useful and you live."

"And how do I do that?"

"Tell me everything about Shinra."

"This again? You can't get the element."

"Regardless, they are my biggest competition."

"You know I won't talk."

"We'll see." she pulled up a chair and sat casually, watching him.

"What?"

"Just tell me when you can't stand it."

He laughed and turned his face away so she couldn't see the pain. But it all too soon became apparent. His heart thundered in his chest and he wondered if it would simply stop and he would die just like that but it wasn't that simple. His chest clenched and hurt, increasing in pain and pressure as time slipped by.

About an hour later he turned back to her, to see if maybe she had the syringe in her hands or looked like she might give in but she was just sitting there, still casual.

He was finding it difficult to breath.

She raised her wrist slowly and checked the time. "You still have another hour of this or so, think you can take it?"

He smiled through the pain. "Course I can, I'm a Turk." He turned away again but the next hour was without a doubt the most painful of his life. He couldn't help the sounds that came out of him, or the way his body twisted on the mattress. Near the end he turned back to her and she smiled anticipating he was going to beg and spill secrets but with one last angry burst he vaulted off the bed at her. In a jumble of motions he was on his back on the carpeted floor, her knees straddling his waist and the syringe in hand.

"Start talking or die." she warned. He watched her, his body convulsing beneath her. His eyes fell back to the windows, he saw the moon, wondered if it was close to midnight. He felt the tears falling but they were merely a reaction of his body, he didn't sob, he didn't cry, he just lay there and took it. With one final surge of terrible pain, he screamed and knew it was the end.

* * *

Green eyes opened and Reno took in what he imagined must be the afterlife. But it looked eerily similar to the bedroom where he was most certain he had died. And the petit blond woman reading a book in one corner looked upsettingly familiar to the woman who'd killed him.

"Yo doc, you die too?"

She looked up suddenly and returned his half smile.

"Ah, back with us, I see?"

"Mm..." he shifted in the sheets and felt their cool comfort against his skin, then froze, realizing he wasn't wearing anything but boxers.

"You took my clothes? You already took my hair."

"They were filthy, you soaked them with sweat."

He patted himself over, feeling fresh bandages on his injuries and then stopping over his chest. He looked down and saw a deep purple bruise over his heart.

"I had to inject your heart directly." She explained.

"I thought the point was for me to die."

"No." She said. "The point was for me to get answers."

She sat on the bed next to him. He shifted away but felt a tug and noticed for the first time the iv in his arm. Automatically he went to pull it out but her hand clamped over his.

"Its just fluids this time."

He didn't relax right away but he saw no lie in her eyes and his head seemed clear enough so he let go.

"Good." She said. He still moved enough to prop himself up on his elbows so he could face her on a slightly more even level.

"So what happens now?"

"I'll just have to try again. I can wait until you get tired of dying every night and you finally talk."

"I've told you, I'm a Turk, I won't talk."

"We'll see." He glanced at the clock nervously. "Don't worry, its morning, and besides, I can wait until you're feeling a little better." She traced a finger over his protruding collar bone. "I'm not sure your heart will start again next time." She stood up. "In the mean time, I'll have some food sent in and some clothes."

"I want my clothes."

"What?"

"I said I want my clothes. It's not too much to ask is it?"

She considered. "No, it isn't, and I'm not petty. If that's what you want, I have them cleaned and brought up." she turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

For the next several days, Eve kept her word. She gave him the dose at the very first sign of discomfort, she had his clothes sent to him, and he ate meals of the like he'd only ever seen at the personal table of Rufus Shinra. Though he knew it was all only in preparation for future pain, he allowed himself this time to relax, to heal.

And of course, to be Reno.

As much as he hated her, Eve was never one to back down from his challenges, and he liked that. Mostly, that meant giving as good as she got in the wit, teasing and flirting departments. They shared many laughs leading up to the day she deemed him ready for another round. The night before, she informed him when delivering the dose and he caught her arm before she could leave. Not that she couldn't have easily pried away from him if she wanted.

"Why is always you?" he asked.

"Me what?"

"Why is always you who gives me the injection."

"That's simple, Reno. I'm the only one who knows where the serum is hidden. If Rufus Shinra did follow us, or track us down, I'd still have my leverage. If he captured me, while I'm out, I'm the only one who can give you the dose, he would have to let me go before your twenty four hours were up."

"I see." he let go of and lay back.

"What, no banter tonight?" She inquired.

"No." He rolled on his side, his back to her. "I'm tired, good night."

"...night."

* * *

She didn't come into his room until well past the hour she would normally give him his dose. He figured he was just getting to the worst of it when she entered.

"A little late for the show." He managed a grin which she matched.

"I remember the first act, but it was the second that really held my interest."

"Oo, good one." but he shut his eyes and his back arched off the bed. He felt her hands on him but his protest was lost in a scream. He didn't even feel himself hit the floor. She came back into focus and he felt her hands on his chest, undoing the buttons on his shirt.

"OO, turned on by screams huh? Kinky." but he arched again, her weight straddling him the only thing that kept him down.

"Not exactly," she said. "I'm just getting ready," she pressed against his heart and he knew what she meant but he couldn't let the joke drop even in pain.

"For you baby, I'm always ready." he shrugged out of his shirt and raised his eye brows at her.

"Only you could make jokes in this situation."

"It's what you love about me, you know."

He was in a haze of pain, but her features flashed something that made the joke die. But he couldn't contemplate the look long before the worst of it hit and he was screaming beneath her.

It was strange– awful– but strange. She was the one doing this to him, but she never moved: she pressed his body down flat, she even brushed a tear away once, and he found his fingers gripping into her arms.

"Reno..." He looked up at her, eyes filled with water. "Just tell me."

"No...Ima Turk..."

Blackness.

* * *

"I don't think I can do that again." Reno groaned into his pillow, once again mostly naked under the sheets and fluids in his arm.

"Then tell me what you know."

"That's not what I meant." Reno didn't open his eyes, just squeezed his pillow tight when he felt her sit next to him.

"Oh?"

He felt her hand on his back, warm, soft. He opened his eyes.

"I meant I don't think my heart can take another hit like that."

"Oh, so I guess you're not much of a Turk after all then." She smirked and he stiffened in anger.

"How so?"

"Because I heard Turks have hearts of steel."

"Fine, keep stabbing me with that fucking needle, see if I die! I'll prove to you I'm a Turk." he rolled away from her, done with their little game.

"Don's sulk." she said but he ignored her. "Fine. I'm going out today but I'll be back to give you your dose early. You're right, you're body can't go through that every night, we'll try again in a few days."

He never acknowledged her, just hugged his pillow and stared in the other direction.

* * *

Len, the same guard that always brought Reno his food also brought him back his freshly cleaned clothes. They talked infrequently but today the big man spoke up.

"The boss likes you."

"Huh?"

"She likes you." Len repeated.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's never kept anyone around this long. It's clear you won't talk, but she doesn't want to let you go either."

Reno held up his hands. "No, no, no, I am NOT playing these little mind games again. She's the bad guy, I'm a Turk."

"No games bro, just observation. Haven't seen her laugh or smile this much in years."

"Oh great, I'm glad my pain is so amusing."

The man eyed him. "But that's not when she's laughing is it?" Reno's mind flashed back to that look in her face last night. "_Its what you love about me, you know_." he had joked through teeth clenched with pain but she'd reacted. Maybe only for an instant but it was a reaction. And she did laugh, a lot around him, she was probably the only human being who'd reciprocated his particular brand of humour this much.

"Told you, bro." Reno's eyes shot back to the guard.

"Why are you saying this?"

The guy shrugged. "You seem like a decent guy. I'm like you man, a merc, I don't have a beef with you, just like you probably don't with your normal targets. Get paid, do job, end o' story, but it doesn't mean I gotta be a jerk about it."

"Huh, thanks."

"No prob, bro." Reno sat for a long time holding his clothes, his food growing cold. He finally shook himself out of his thoughts and pulled on his pants before digging into his food.

* * *

But Eve didn't return when she said. Reno sat watching the clock like a hawk. Ten o'clock came, the pressure had already built up painfully. It all began much quicker, much more acutely, and he knew it was because his body wasn't recovered enough yet.

By the time she did come, he was screaming like he'd never screamed in all his life. He didn't know how it could have gotten worse than the last two times but it had and it was only an hour in.

She burst through the door, syringe in hand and held him firmly against the bed. His legs worked across the mattress like he was trying to kick the sheets off but they were already all bunched at the bottom, he simply didn't know what to do with his body.

"...you said...not tonight..." This time he couldn't even say it was just hot tears– this was full on sobbing in pain. She tried to keep him steady.

"I know. I was held up I didn't mean..." but she wasn't injecting him.

"Please..." he whimpered. "Just do it..."

"Reno..." And there is was again, he saw something he should never see in the eyes of his torturer– pain. She was torn, and her hand hovered between compassion and cruelty, undecided to which she should yield. "Reno just tell me." she nearly begged.

"I can't..." he cried out, and couldn't stop screaming for a full minute. He was hyperventilating when he stopped and both injured hands held onto her desperately.

He shook his head back and forth. "Its so bad..."

"It will stop if you tell me."

"No, I'm a Turk." And then he broke down completely, sobbing harder than he ever had in his life.

A few seconds later, however, he felt the needle slide into his arm and relief came. But in the wake of such trauma the sobs did not cease and he clung to her desperately, his arms wrapped fully around her slim waist, his head in her lap. She didn't move, but one hand ran through his sweat plastered red locks and the other rubbed his back soothingly. His mind could comprehend neither the pain he'd just experienced nor the comfort he was receiving from his torturer and he just kept crying until his body gave in to exhaustion.

* * *

_**There you go, I was productive! And thanks for the spelling corrections on Tsung and Tifa, I have a tendencey to screw that up! Well, a dramatic chapter, let me know what you thought!**_

_****_

Thank,

__Riza


	7. Chapter 7

Everything was different after that night. Reno didn't wake for more than a day. He didn't speak when he did wake. She had stood, waiting for some quip, some joke, but nothing, he just lay staring at the ceiling. He knew she was there, but he just didn't know what to say. She opened her mouth to make a jibe but stopped herself. After several minutes, he heard her leave.

He wasn't awake for the next few doses. She must have given them to him in his sleep. He was back on fluids since he hardly ate anything.

She had broken him.

He hadn't given anything up on Shinra, but he'd given up his pride. He'd let himself cry like a baby in front of her, and worse, he'd clung to her like one. He'd begged her for mercy.

And most confusing of all, was she'd shown it to him.

But why?

The questions plagued him. And another one loomed. What now? She'd broken just as much as him by showing mercy. Now her threat held no weight and she knew he'd never yield, because even in the worst pain in his life he hadn't. There wasn't anything left for her to do to him.

"Cheer up." He rolled over in his bed and saw Len. He set down the tray of food but didn't leave.

"What?" Reno asked.

"Oh so you _are _talking. I was worried you were really broken."

Reno just made a noise and rolled over again.

"So you've had a rough time of it bro, but you're still breathing."

"Yeah, for how long?"

"If she hasn't killed you now, then..." Reno rolled over to look at him.

"What?"

"Well I don't want to compromise any future threats the boss might make to you, but I'd say killing you isn't on her agenda."

"Oh. Great."

"Come on, cheer up, she's giving us all a hard time just because you've got her in a bad mood."

"Me?"

"Don't be so blind. I don't know what happened between the two of you the other night. Man those scream– I thought you were done, but the way she tore in there when she heard them– I dunno man, just saying."

Reno watched him leave without further comment.

He was awake that evening, when she came with the injection. It was the first time he'd actually seen her in four days. She turned on the light when she saw he was awake and sat on the edge of his bed, wordlessly exposing his shoulder to inject him. He watched her in silence but when she was finished she didn't leave.

"I'm sorry." She said finally.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for the other night. I gave you my word and I broke it. I believe in keeping your word and I didn't, so I apologize."

"Oh, so nice to know that my torturer has values."

"Are you still in pain?"

"From the other night, no."

"Then it just broke you." He glared at her and tried to turn away but she wouldn't let him, catching his chin with one hand.

"What are you going to do with me now?" He demanded. "I'm worthless to you, just let me go or kill me."

"You can't leave. I never intended you to, otherwise I would never have shown you my headquarters. You've seen enough that your boss could probably piece it together."

"So you were going to kill me all along?"

"Yes."

"Then do it."

"Is that how much it defeated you, you just want to die now?"

"I'm nothing now." He hissed. "I can't call myself a Turk, not after that, not after the way I gave into the pain last night."

"Is that why you haven't put your clothes back on?" He glanced at the folded pile that had been returned to him. "Or is it because you're determined never to get out of bed again?"

"And do what? I've seen all there is to see of this room."

"I never said you had to stay in this room."

He eyed her closely. "What do you mean?"

"I mean put your pants on Reno."

She stood up and waited. After a long moment, he obeyed, grabbing his clothes and slipping into them. He finished buttoning up his shirt and followed her out the door she held open for him.

He hadn't seen the mansion except on the day he arrived. He couldn't really remember how long it had been. Now he looked curiously into the several bedrooms they passed, only one closed.

"That one yours?" He asked.

"It is."

"Keeping secrets?"

"A girl's bedroom is no place for wandering eyes, especially yours."

They continued down the hall until it opened in a large kitchen which in turn opened up to an expanse of a living room on the left side. Hardwood floors, animal skins, leather couch, fireplace and massive windows looking out onto the lake.

Reno whistled. "Snazzy. You own all this?"

"The whole mansion yes, but most of it has been converted into living quarters for my employees or work spaces. This apartment is what I kept for myself."

"Pretty nice."

"Thank you." She went into the kitchen, opened a bottle of wine and indicated he sit. She had an island counter with bar stools around so he slid onto one and leaned with his elbows against the cool marble surface. She handed him a glass.

"What is this for?" He asked. "Toasting my immanent demise?"

"And why would you think that?"

"Well I think we've concluded I'm useless."

"Ahh, but don't you remember our little discussion Reno? As long as I have you, Rufus Shinra won't lay a finger on me."

"Right..." He decided to guzzle the wine while he could.

"And while I'll admit that after the other night there is no point in asking you any more questions, you are still very valuable to me."

He finished his glass. "So..."

"So welcome home, Reno." She filled up his glass again and then knocked her own against his in cheers. His hand remained frozen around the stem for quite some time before he tipped it back.

* * *

Reno woke with a monster of a hang over the next day. He had hardly eaten but downed at least a bottle and a half of wine last night.

"Morning bro." He heard the deep tones of Len. "She torture you again last night?" But his tone suggested he already knew.

"You could say that...ugh..."

"You're a mess." Reno didn't want to move, his head pounded and his stomach churned but firm hands pulled him out of the clutches of his sheets and sat him up, he was still in his shirt, the buttons half done, but only wearing socks and boxers below that.

"No...lemme sleep..." he protested but felt the gag reflex and ran for the bathroom. Len sauntered over to him.

"That is why I got you up, because I didn't want to clean _that _up."

Reno didn't respond, his head remained over the toilet bowl for quite some time.

Reno thought he would see Eve more after that night, but she seemed busier now, always away, rushing in to give him his injection then rushing out again. Sometimes she would hastily make a comment about how he should get some sun because he looked so pale or how could he be so skinny when he did nothing all day– but always she rushed off again. Now that they had an understanding though, these interactions were much more relaxed.

He had no illusions, he was still her prisoner, but that undercurrent of fear was gone. He did, however feel like he was floating, felt like he was lost– not just because when it came right down to it he was lost, he had no idea where he was– but because he had said it: he was no longer a Turk, and he didn't know what he was. A Turk would never break like he did. A Turk would never resign themselves to a life of captivity as he had– though he swore to himself it was only until his injuries healed– and a Turk would never developed what he dared call a _friendly_ relationship with his captor.

"It's that thing." He told himself. "Stockholm syndrom or something." But he couldn't quite convince himself.

One day– he had no idea what day of the week it was– she came into his room, much earlier than usual and had someone in tow. It was the doctor, he'd checked on Reno a few times over what must have been weeks by now. He had tools and Reno flinched out of old habit.

"Relax Reno, time to take that cast off."

"Oh."

They moved to the bathroom so it was easier to clean up the mess from cutting through the plaster. It snapped off cleanly and he stared down at the thin frail wrist that greeted him. He had gained much of his weight back since his initial fall from the helicopter. It seemed so long ago now, must have been six weeks or more. But time had lost meaning in this place for him. He raised his hand and flexed it. Sore, but everything worked.

The doctor then proceeded to check over his other wounds. The one on his side from the shrapnel was worst. The skin was sensitive, it had been burned badly and some nerves were damaged. But the doctor said it would be fine to take the bandages off now.

He examined his left hand, it had been rather badly damaged and the doctor wasn't sure he would regain full dexterity. Reno didn't look to see what Eve's reaction to this was. But that bandage too was removed and he looked at the ugly scar, still pink and sensitive. He was, finally, bandage-free and feeling healthy again.

Eve offered him a drink in celebration, but forced him to take it on the balcony to get some sun. He shivered.

"It's still warm." she said. "Why do you never come outside?"

"I don't know." He said.

"I'll tell the guards they can escort you down the lake if you want."

He only nodded.

"You're too pale." she criticized. "It would be good for you."

"Probably. And you're too busy. What are you up to?"

"Nothing you need to know about."

"Something with Shinra right?"

"I never can seem to do anything that doesn't put me in their path."

"Did they ever use the element?"

"No. I don't think they know how to exploit it properly."

"Do you?"

"I'm working on it."

His eyebrows rose. "Did you get some of your own?"

"None of your business."

"Ah come on!" He complained but she just smiled back at him.

"You must have, otherwise what's been keeping you so busy?"

"It's a complicated world out there Reno."

"Is it? I kind of forget."

"Haha. But yes it is. This fight isn't just two sided you know. There are others."

"Others like you?"

"Don't be silly, they can't hold a candle to what I've built, but yes, they have the same goals."

"Shinra must be on its toes then."

"We all are."

They were quiet for a moment then she stretched and reached for the door. "I have to get back." He followed her inside.

"See you at ten then." He said and watched her go through the heavy security doors that blocked her apartment off from the rest of the mansion.

* * *

That night he felt the pain again, the first time in a long time. He left his room at ten thirty, already sweating profusely.

"Len?"

The guard that seemed to never sleep– and in fact lived in the apartment he had found out– rounded the corner and steadied him.

"Where is she?" He asked, heading for the couch in the living room.

"In the mansion, I think."

"Is she mad at me or something?"

"No bro, don't think so."

"Then what the Hell?" He gasped and collapsed against the cool leather surface of the couch.

Len waited another ten minutes before calling. By eleven thirty Len had carried Reno to his bed and pulled off his shirt in preparation. And then she was there. Len left and Reno cursed.

"You're...late..." he panted.

She was sweaty too, her normal outfit askew. "There was an accident."

He hands were visibly trembling with the syringe. Like always, she sat astride him to try to keep him steady, but his eyes didn't leave the needle tip that shook violently.

"Wait! You sure you can handle this...Ahhh!" he heaved with another wave of pain.

"No." she said looking at his rather scrawny arm. "I need a bigger target." she grabbed at his belt and began tugging his pants down. He sat up to help get out of them but still watched the needle waver in apprehension.

He hissed in both pain and relief when she stabbed it into his thigh and pushed down on the plunger. When it was done they were both breathing hard and sweaty. His hands were still around her hips where he'd gripped her in his pain. She pulled the needle back out but didn't move right away.

"Eve...you were late."

"Like I said, complications."

He never really remembered who it was that moved first. But they were already so close that he supposed it didn't matter and their lips were together, hands around one another and it was all over. Whoever he thought he was, that person was gone, because a Turk, definitely would not have done that.

* * *

_**Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**_

_**Riza**_


	8. Chapter 8

Days passed before their next encounter like this, though without the painful lead up. It wasn't regular, they didn't really talk about it, but Len would wink at Reno some mornings after Eve slipped out of his bed before the sun rose.

He lived his sedentary life, still always torn between guilt and giving in, never wanting to abandon completely the thought of returning home, seeing Rude and his friends again. But he also feared that notion– feared the betrayal he would see in their faces– knowing he was no longer a Turk.

And then Eve.

Eve was complicated. He knew what they did together, he knew his value as leverage and he knew the freedoms and restrictions he had in the mansion, but he didn't know how she felt. He didn't know anything that mattered.

One day, sitting on the couch, flipping through a book, Len came in and joined him. They read in silence for a while until Reno asked the question that had been burning him for quite some time now.

"How long have I been here?"

"At the mansion..." Len thought for a while. "Three months."

"Three months." Reno repeated.

"Why?"

"I don't know...I just forgot. Time just doesn't really mean much." Len dropped his book.

"You're depressed bro, that's what's wrong with you."

"What?"

"Yeah, depressed, have to be, otherwise how else could you be satisfied sitting on this couch all day, never moving, never going outside? When was the last time you were outside anyway?"

"I don't know..." Reno looked down at his right hand, the wrist still a little skinnier than his left. "The day I got my cast off I think." Len leapt off the couch and lunged at Reno. "Hey man, get off!"

"No, you are going outside right now. It's been two months since you've seen the sun, you're going outside!"

"Sheesh relax, fine!"

Len dug around in his own closet and handed Reno a jacket that was way to big for him but he slipped it on.

"Where are your shoes?" Len asked and Reno looked down at his bare feet. He hadn't worn socks or shoes since he'd gotten here. He shrugged.

"Wow man." was all Len said before going through the other rooms in search of something that might fit him.

When he was finally suited up they went outside and walked down to the now frozen lake. There was a fine snow falling, though so sparse they hardly noticed.

"What time is it?" Reno asked though he knew it was hardly past ten in the morning.

"No, we are not going back in yet. What's wrong with you? You've become a shut-in."

Reno didn't answer, he didn't know. Len lit a pair of cigarettes and handed one to Reno.

"Don't tell the boss eh, she hates it."

"Oh does she?" Reno found his drag on the cigarette all the more satisfying. He wouldn't mind seeing Eve's face if he kissed her after.

"You two sure have a messed up thing going on." Len commented.

"Yeah, whatever."

"You like her or what?"

Reno shrugged. "Couldn't say." Then he eyed the guard suspiciously. "This isn't one of those girl things where she asked you to ask me and then you'll go back to her and tell her, is it?"

"Haha!" Len laughed out loud. "If you hadn't noticed, she's not thirteen."

"I dunno, girls are weird, especially her." Len chuckled again but stopped abruptly. Reno looked at him.

"What is it? She's not standing behind us is she?" But he watched blood pool out the corner of Len's lips and the man fell. Reno tried to grab him but slipped in the frosted grass and fell with him.

"Holy shit!" He cried, looking around but seeing no one. "A sniper? Must be! Where's your phone, I'll get you help, just hold on."

Len stared up at him but his eyes were glassy and unseeing. Reno froze in his frantic search for the phone. He was all too familiar with the look of death, "LEN!"

"Don't move." he could just glimpse a large figure behind him, gun raised, and then he was running. Shots rang out but he was quick and dodged around trees and shrubs– anything to give the shooter a bad angle.

He ran right into the ambush but when hands clamped down all they got was an oversized coat and Reno was still running.

At this moment, he wished he had come outside more, so that he would now his way around better, but surely if he ran long enough Eve's men would come save him. But when he fell over one of their bodies and his eyes found several others half heartedly pushed under the outdoor stairwell he knew he was in trouble.

She was gone for the day, he knew, and these people must have too. He looked up to the main door but knew it was too easy, they'd be waiting for him inside. He tried to find a weapon on one of the bodies but they'd already been collected.

"Shit." He ran with all he had to the orchard. He didn't know what was on the other side. He just wanted to get to it and keep running. But he heard the crack of heavy footfalls on the hard earth and knew he was in trouble. Desperately cold, but just as desperate to stay alive, he slid his feet out of the boots that were too big for him and clunked loudly as he ran, and out of his black jacket that was in stark contrast to the snow and frost all around. For once, he cursed his red hair.

Now padding lightly and somewhat camouflaged, he moved silently among the trees, easily picking up the footfalls of the men hunting him. One moved in front of him, just a few feet away. He snuck up holding his breath, and reached for the guy's head. A quiet snap was all that could be heard and the man fell dead. Reno took his gun and continued. He heard the cry of someone discovering the body but didn't stop. Another man fell by his hands before he made it to the other end of the orchard. He breathed with hope seeing a road and no one in sight. Glancing behind him, he could see the shadows of the men still searching for him.

Reno ran with all he had, still quietly, but once he was on the road he never stopped. Not until the shot rang out and he fell hard on the pavement.

"My fucking leg!" He cried before the actual shock of pain reached him. The bullet had ripped through his calf, he told himself it was just a flesh wound and that the bone was undamaged and pushed himself back to his feet. The second shot, however, stopped him completely. It didn't hit him, but the warning was clear. He turned slowly to face the gunman quickly closing the distance between them.

"We can't waste any time, kid. You've only got to midnight, or so we hear."

* * *

The guy was right, they didn't waste time. Reno was hauled into a van, where the questioning began, then into a room– who know's where– where it continued. So many questions and so little time. Shinra and Eve blended into one, they were trying to figure out just what it was that was so important about Reno that she'd kept him around for so long.

He kept saying he wasn't important, he was nobody, over and over and over. When they poured salt on his wound. When they beat him. When they cut him. When they pulled a glowing iron out of the fire and held it against his ribs.

Always he told them he was nobody, unimportant. He told them he wasn't a Turk.

* * *

Reno had long since drifted from reality when the explosion of pain pulled him back. He was half naked on the floor, hands shackeld behind his back, uncomfortably pressed between himself and the floor. He felt his face wet with tears and realized he was crying. When sound came back he realized he was screaming.

He looked down and saw the glowing iron rod digging beneath his rib cage before finally drawing back. He wondered why they had relented until he saw the shocked expression on his torturer's face.

Before he even saw her, he heard that click of heels that had once brought fear but now brought overwhelming relief.

Eve.

She fired into the room with a fury he'd never seen. The enemy shot back but she didn't care, she stood as if invincible in her rage until every last one was dead except the man who'd been torturing Reno.

She glanced down at Reno, his body trembling in both pain and the need for his next dose and then to the man with the poker.

And that was when Reno knew he was not just a prisoner, not just an affair, and not just leverage.

All cool and calm was gone when she killed the last man. It wasn't slow either. Even Reno had to wince when she turned his own hot poker against him, when she shot him everywhere that wouldn't kill him and when she finally leaned in and cracked his skull against the cement until he was dead.

Then she rose, wiped the blood from her hands and swooped on Reno. She pulled the syringe from her pocket and jabbed it into his shoulder and he felt his breath come back, but his focus only turned to the new injuries. Looking down he saw the terrible burns on his sweat slicked and trembling torso and shut his eyes.

"Shit..." he breathed. Her arm slipped under him and pulled him into a sitting position. She checked his hands and cursed when she saw shackles.

"We'll have to wait to take these off at the house."

Reno just nodded, the back of his head resting on her shoulder, his body draped backwards over her. His eyes were shut and his exposed Adam's apple moved convulsively. She nodded and her men took hold of him and carried him away.

He didn't remember much of the trip home, only the vague impression of her scent and knowing he must be pressed against her– but mostly he just remembered getting home, glimpsing the bodies, and half sobbing out the name Len.

"We shouldn't have gone outside." he moaned feverishly in bed. He vaguely noticed that he was in a much bigger room and bed and that it must be hers.

"No, Len, shouldn't have taken you out just the two of you. You should have been better protected." Eve said at his back where she fiddled with tools to undo his shackles.

"But he's dead." he said, voice on the verge of breaking.

"I know." there was a click and the rough metal slid off his chaffed wrists. Eve eased him from his side onto his back and put a hand on his forehead and he shut his eyes again.

It was a long night. Between the cold and the open wounds in unsterile environments he'd gotten a bad infection. The doctor worked all night to clean and patch his wounds but all Reno remembered was his skin burning and the hand that was ever cool on his forehead. He remembered squeezing her hand tight when his burns were tended too, he remembered cool water splashing on his face and he remembered puking all across an undoubtably expensive bedspread. Then he remembered faint whispers of comfort and darkness.

* * *

"Don't move." Someone said sternly and Reno obeyed, only opening his eyes.

"Eve?" She was sitting on the bed next to him, legs crossed, book in her lap, but now she turned from it to look down on him.

"You sure got it good this time, though nothing like the day we first met."

"Helicopters– they'll get you in the end. Who were those assholes?"

"Rivals, my biggest besides Shinra. Lead by a man named Froshi."

"Huh..." he wanted so many more details but knew she'd never give them to him. Still, the whole thing brought a question to mind. If these people could find him, why didn't Shinra? Or maybe that meant information had leaked out there and any day now Shinra might come.

"Reno?" He looked up at her but just forced a smile. "How do you feel?"

He looked down at himself without moving much. He knew he'd been given something for the pain, though a dull ache still coursed through his whole body. But most of all it was the burns on his left side that hurt. He pulled back the sheets to look down but of course they were hidden under bandages.

"Shit. I'm gonna have scars there to match the ones from the shrapnel on the right."

"Probably," she consented.

"S'not right." he complained.

"What?"

"Maiming a beautiful body like this one. It's a crime!" He looked at her and grinned wickedly, "But at least _they_ knew enough to leave a man's hair alone."

"Will you ever forgive me for that?" she sighed in mock hurt.

"Maybe." he reached up and held the side of her face when she leaned down to shut him up with a kiss. His gaze fell momentarily to the scar on the back of his hand but he shut his eyes and pushed it into her hair.

After a long moment, she pulled back and stood.

"Well, now that I know you're alright, there's work to be done."

"Retaliation?"

"Oh, that was taken care of last night."

She started to leave. "Eve." He watched her quietly for a second, then, "Thank you...for coming for me."

"Of course, you are valuable to me, after all." He nodded, though not entirely certain in which way she meant he was valuable...

* * *

Since he'd suffered no breaks this time around, Reno's body mended rather quickly, though the infection was ever keeping him bedridden. But every night, Eve would slide into the bed next to him and fiddle with his hair until he drifted.

But when he did get better, he had drifted into old habits, though this time Len wasn't there to force him to be active. Though she had scores of men, Eve had not replaced this most loyal, most personal guard. He had lived right there with them, but now Reno spent all day alone in the empty apartment.

Someone always came to make sure he ate, or at least tried. On Eve's orders they would usually try to prod him outdoors but he would glance almost in fear at the heavy doors and refuse. Then they would leave and he was alone again until she came back.

He had put himself down to being most like a pet. Eve would come home and cuddle him and scold him for being lazy and then return to work. The sitter would feed him. And if anyone tried to hurt him she got horribly defensive. It was an apt description of his life, of their relationship, he thought.

"You _are _depressed, aren't you?" Eve said on one of the rare days she hadn't rushed off to work and sat curled on the couch with a coffee while he lay full out with his head in her lap just staring at the wall.

"What?" he asked, pulled back to reality.

"Len said it to me a while ago, and I think he was right."

"Do you see me crying every night?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not like that, but the lethargy, the way you don't eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Because you don't do anything."

"I know."

She sighed and set down her cup. She pushed him up and stood. "Come on."

"What?"

"Let's go out today."

He tensed and didn't move.

"Reno, its fine."

"No, I'm okay, its fine."

"Reno I think you should."

"No, I'm fine, I'll eat, I'll stop moping."

"Reno what is it? Are you afraid to go outside?"

"Of course not!" he laughed nervously. "I just don't want to." She watched him carefully. It had been three or four weeks since his capture by the rivals, but even before that– ever since the day he said he wasn't a Turk– he had stopped wanting to go out. Now she watched him trying to hide the fact he was trembling and realized just how far things had gone.

"Okay Reno." She said sitting down again. "We'll stay."

But that was not the end of it. She said nothing for the rest of the day but the next day when he woke, well past noon like usual, someone was in the apartment.

"Who are you?"

"I'm a doctor."

His eyes narrowed and he looked the woman over. She was wearing the standard suit of Eve's organization. "What kind?"

"A psychologist. Please, let's have a chat."

Reno didn't want to, but he also knew there was no way out of it so he followed her to the living room. He was in his pajamas, and though he still kept his clothes from the Turks, they had been roughed up in his flight and torture from the rival gang and he hadn't put them back on since.

The discussion was long, Reno was bored, but just when they were finishing up Eve came back.

Reno watched the two women disappear to the kitchen and though he could still see them from the couch, he didn't follow them. After a lengthy discussion, the psychologist left.

"What did she say?" Reno called and Eve returned, papers in hand.

"Do you want me to read it to you?"

"Not really."

"Len was right."

"I'm depressed?"

"Apathetic, is really the most accurate term for you."

"Oh..."

"It means you don't really care about anything Reno."

"Oh, I knew that. And hey, that's not true."

"Well you have yet to prove otherwise to me."

He scoffed but didn't argue.

"And you're agoraphobic."

"I am not afraid of spiders." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I means you're afraid of the outside."

"Nuh uh, I just don't wanna go."

"Should I add denial to the list?"

He huffed out his breath in annoyance and pulled the blanket he had around his shoulders closer, also tucking his bare feet under. The fire was on but he didn't bother moving to get closer to it.

"So what? I don't care what some doctor has to say." he sulked.

"Fine." She sighed, reaching over and pulling him back down into her lap and he relaxed again when he felt her fingers running smoothly through his hair. "You need a hair cut."

"Hmm. But not the back." She smiled. Well at least he hadn't given up on that.

* * *

**_Procrastinating again so decided to post another chapter! Let me know what you thought, its definitely a challenge trying to write the relationship between Eve and Reno but a fun challenge!_**

**_Riza_**


	9. Chapter 9

It had been half a year since Reno had fallen from the helicopter the day he heard his partner's voice again. He, of course, had no idea that much time had passed, it all just ran together in a blur. But he woke to a ringing phone one afternoon. He slept for twelve hours or more everyday unless Eve was home to prod him into activity. But he rolled over in their large bed and reached for the cell on the night stand. She had given it to him so she could call him or he could call her but it reached no other numbers.

But today, when he lazily clicked it on, preparing for a scolding when she heard the sleep in his voice, his heart stopped, because the voice was deep and strong and oh so familiar.

_**"Reno."**_

"R-Rude?" he stammered, swallowing hard and squeezing the phone tight.

"Hey partner." the voice sounded so relieved, so happy but he felt...well he didn't know how he felt, he was confused, and already felt himself shaking. "How are you?"

"Rude?" he just repeated.

"Yeah partner, it's me. Are you okay?" His voice was edged now with anxiety.

"I...okay...how..."

"We caught her. We have Eve."

And at this his heart really began to race. Rude listened to his sharp gasp on the other end. "She said if we don't let her go you'll die. But after all this time, we didn't even know if you were still alive."

"You have to let her go."

"Reno?"

"YOU HAVE TO LET HER GO!" He screamed into the phone.

"Reno calm down, we won't let you die." But that wasn't it, he wasn't even thinking of that. "Where are you Reno?"

"What?"

"Where are you?"

"I don't know. Far. You have to let her go now so she can get back in time." He tried again more calmly.

"Reno, if we let her go, we're letting our chance to find you go. We can't."

"Rude please."

"We'll make her talk."

"No she won't, not ever, please, let her go."

"Reno–"

"Let me talk to Tseng. He's there, right? Let me talk to him."

He heard a soft sigh on the other end. "Alright Reno, I'm passing you to him."

"Reno." he heard the strict voice but it too was touched with emotion. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah Tseng, I'm fine, but you have to let her go."

"Reno, we'll find you."

"No, Tseng, please just do it. I'm fine, I swear, I haven't told her anything, she just keeps me for leverage, I'm fine, I'm fine." He kept repeating, starting to feel sick to his stomach. "But I need her to get the dose. She's the only one, she's not lying, it's just her who knows where it is. Please. Let her go."

"Reno, this isn't right, she'll just keep playing this card, you have to help us out. Where are you?"

"I said I didn't know!"

"Reno, its been months, there must be something!"

In desperation Reno ran to the window and looked outside as if he didn't actually remember any details. "There's a lake or a pond or something. And an orchard. Other than that I don't know, now please just let her go."

"Okay Reno, okay, we'll let her go, you'll be okay and we'll find you, I promise."

He didn't answer, the phone went to dial tone and he set it on the table. His body would not stop shaking and he sat frozen in the bedroom for hours until she finally came home. He didn't even notice the pain in his chest, he just leapt up and grabbed onto her and wouldn't let go for dear life. She managed to manoeuver him back onto the bed and slide the needle into him while he lay holding her. He never asked how it happened. He never said anything about how it felt to hear the voices of his friends, he just seemed terrified.

* * *

In the morning, they both woke late. Reno's clingyness had turned into a desperate need for even greater intimacy and they were both exhausted in the aftermath.

"Morning doc." he sighed still half asleep. These were the times when he was most like his old joking self, in that in-between realm of contentedness and reality. She reached over and snuggled into his back, her face nestling into his red locks. She always wrapped her arms around him, somewhat possessively or controlling, but he found it comforting.

"You feel better now?" She asked.

"Always." he smiled before his mind caught up to the events of yesterday and he opened his eyes. "I mean...I was just...worried you wouldn't get back to give me my dose is all." He said in a poor lie but trying to cover it with trade mark cockiness.

"Oh, so you were scared?"

"Me honey? I'm never scared."

"Then go outside." That shut him up. She chuckled. "You're such a baby.

"Tch. Well that makes you a paedophile then."

"Don't be gross Reno." He smiled and intertwined his fingers in hers, though only his right hand, never the left.

"So...what _did _happen?" He asked finally, his stomach turning slightly and glad she couldn't see his face.

"I was careless. I was caught in the open and had no way out."

"Well it looks like I've finally paid off, doesn't it? What did...the Turks do?"

"What do you mean? They caught me, they called you."

"Yeah...I just..."

"You miss them?"

"I don't know." His voice was just a whisper.

He felt her lips brush against his temple behind him and he squeezed his eyes tight feeling lost more than ever. His grip in her hand tightened.

His own sharp gasp brought him back to reality and then she was rolling him over so that his face was against her chest. He had no control over the way his body was wracked by sobs, the way his breath came in sharp, shallow gasps that made his chest hurt. And every inch of him trembled against her.

It reminded him of the night he broke down in pain, but this was different, this was a pain he couldn't pinpoint or describe but he felt it to his very core. And this time he had no fear of the woman he clung to and who held him back, comforting him in that same way, one hand in his hair, one rubbing his back. Until his breaths were too fast and too shallow and he made himself blackout.

Reno woke to the sound of the door shutting but Eve was on the bed with him. She was fully dressed, she had pulled his pyjama bottoms on him. He looked up at her, exhausted and confused.

"Who was that?"

"The doctor."

"What?" He rubbed his eyes and found them swollen. He remembered what happened and looked up at her again. "What happened?"

"You had a severe panic attack."

"What?"

"You hyperventilated until you passed out."

He took a breath but his chest still hurt. He looked at the clock.

"Its not time for a dose yet. You have anxiety, it can make you feel like this."

"It can?"

"Yes, but the doctor's going to give you some medicine that will make it better." She watched him grip the sheets tighter. "I promise it will be fine, Reno."

* * *

But it definitely was not fine. Yes, once he swallowed a pill he felt a lot better. In fact after about three days of being on the medication, she actually coaxed him outside, though only on the balcony.

"Its freezing." He complained.

"That's because you don't have any shoes on."

"Who needs shoes?"

"People who go outside."

"Tch."

"You sure you don't want to go down to the lake? The ice is melted."

"Not today." he said and her arm slipped around his waist. He tried to relax but there was so much space outside, so much territory to cover, to see and to be seen.

"Enough?" she asked.

"Yeah." He sighed in relief, stepping inside, but she didn't let up and in another two days time he was at the bottom step outdoors.

"You really should have put shoes on." she said watching him. But he had adamantly refused, knowing that if he put his borrowed boots on, then she could force him to stay out longer. This way she wouldn't make him stay out for more than five or ten minutes. He might be paranoid and agoraphobic, but he was crafty about it.

"Okay, walk to that tree over there and come back and I'll let you go back in."

"You're cruel." he said, half joking but half sincere. He looked at the tree only twenty or so feet away and sighed, taking his first step on solid ground in months.

"Go the whole way, don't look back it will be easier."

"Fine." he growled. His feet were beginning to burn with the cold, it was just above zero and though spring was coming, it was certainly doing so slowly. So he stopped hesitating and made his slow, careful journey to the tree. When he reached it, finally, he caressed the rough bark and thought for one blissful moment that perhaps he'd been foolish all along. Then he turned and found himself alone.

"Eve?" he croaked out panicked, searching for her and backing into the tree. "EVE?"

He started to run back to the house but was intercepted by men wearing black. He stopped short as they came around the side of the house, seemingly melting from the shadows. He made for the stairs but he only gained a couple before hands grabbed him and lifted him bodily backwards.

He screamed, he kicked, he flailed, and somewhere in there he landed a blow and hands opened enough on his skinny fame for him to slip lose and run. He ran for dear life in his pajamas and winter coat. He was sure he heard his name called out but he never stopped. Not until men were in front of him and he skidded, halting, but even more were behind.

He glanced between them frantically and then the lake.

"No don't!" Someone called but he was already in the water.

He had at one time been a strong swimmer. He shook off his coat and cut through the icy waters but panic was winning out, stealing the breath he so tightly held. Then a hand clamped around his ankle and he was pulled back above the surface and dropped on dry land. He sat on his knees, hands against the ground and head bent, not wanting to face the new threat. The person who drug him out of the water cursed loudly, the men formed a circle around him, but no one made a move to touch him until new a voice joined.

"You have him?"

"Yes sir!"

"Reno."

The voice made him gasp and the speaker knelt before him. Slowly he sat back, his eyes trailing up the flawless suit, over the broad chest and to that hard set face he knew so well.

"Rude...I'm freezing."

His partner's arms wrapped around him and held him almost painfully tight for a long moment before he was carried back inside the mansion. His eyes searched frantically for Eve but he didn't see her.

"Where's the shower?" Rude asked him.

"My room, last door on the left." he muttered into Rude's shoulder.

He was relieved to be out of the crowd of people and that it was just Rude who took him to the bathroom, stripped him and let him stand in the hot water for as long as it took to make the shaking stop. But Reno soon realized he wasn't just trembling from the cold. When he came out, Rude had the bundle of his clothes ragged Turk that had stayed on his bed (which he hadn't slept in weeks) this whole time. He looked down at them.

"What?" Rude asked.

"Nothing." He took them and slid them on.

"No shoes?"

Reno just shrugged. Rude headed for the door.

"Wait, Rude." he stood unsure of himself in the room.

"What is it partner?"

"What did they do to her?"

"Don't worry, she's still alive, we won't kill her until we have the serum."

But Reno didn't move. He felt sick, so sick he could fall down. Rude seemed to see and came and steadied him.

"Reno?"

"I don't want to go out there."

"Tseng and Elena are there, they want to see you. Everyone wants to see you."

"No Rude, I don't want them to see me. I don't want to see them." his shoulders shook and Rude nodded finally, pulling his partner closer.

Reno rested his head against Rude's chest, he didn't want to move, he didn't want time to go forward, he just wanted to stay perfectly still. Rude's heart beat steadily against his ear but his own was palpitating.

"I'm lost Rude." He finally said, his eyes dry but his voice a sob.

"No you aren't, not anymore."

"I am." he insisted. "I don't want you to know."

"Know what?" Reno shook his head slightly against his chest but Rude insisted, repeating the question.

"How weak I am. They're going to see. They're going to find it all."

"Find all what?" but before Reno could answer the door opened. Tseng slipped inside.

"How is our boy?" He said approaching the two. Rude stepped back from Reno though kept both hands firmly around his shoulders.

"Ah, looks like I'm just in time." he said, seeing the state of Reno. His voice was oddly soft and comforting for the Turk boss who usually ordered Reno around with an iron fist. But he raised a bottle and Reno saw it was his medication.

"What is it?" Rude asked but Tseng didn't answer right away. He cracked a bottle of water and sat Reno down in the bed then handed him two tablets. Reno automatically swallowed them.

"Okay Reno, lay down now." the red head obeyed and in a matter of minutes he was asleep.

"What was that?" Rude asked more insistently. Tseng sighed and handed him the bottle. "Anti-anxiety medication, strong ones. And I gave him a sleeping pill. He doesn't need to be awake while we sort all this out."

"But what's wrong with him?" Tseng handed him the papers he'd found and Rude realized what Reno meant by not wanting them to find out.

"We'll have to have our own Shinra psychiatrist look at him, but I don't see why she should have faked these."

The papers were the psychologist's report. She listed Reno's depression and apathy, his agoraphobia. And then added later was his anxiety disorder and the medicine, listed by a different doctor who had apparently treated him just a few days ago for a severe panic attack.

"But he looks healthy, I mean, she hasn't been torturing him."

"I know, there is a lot we need to find out."

"What about the serum? He only has another six hours."

"We'll tear this place apart Rude, we've come this far, we won't let it end now."

* * *

"Reno." Green, hazed eyes opened at Tseng's voice. He was on the edge of Reno's bed, folding up the other's jacket in preparation to give him the serum when it was found. But Reno woke confused and faster than Tseng could react, he was scrambling away from him.

He rolled backward off the bed and onto the floor, his head cracking into the wall but he shot to his feet instantly. Tseng blocked the door so he ran toward the bathroom but firm hands gripped him. Even when he looked up and saw Rude's face he ripped away and threw himself against the opposite wall, his back to them, his slid down and huddled, hugging his knees. Both Turks stood in shock at his actions, swallowing their own pain at seeing the state of their friend.

"I'm sorry." Reno's voice was so quiet. He pressed his face into his knees and broke down. Rude knelt next to him and squeezed his partner's shoulder but looked back to Tseng.

"When did you say the doctor would get here?"

"Not for another couple of hours. But it won't matter if she doesn't give us the serum."

He glanced at the clock, it was nine thirty. He turned back to Reno but let Rude do the talking.

"Reno, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I don't know." he gasped without control.

"You're going to make yourself sick." he warned.

"I can't help it."

Rude sighed, "come here."

He pried Reno apart from himself and sat back against the wall, setting his friend in own lap. Reno just seemed so small– his weight wasn't bad, though he was still thin, but it was mostly the way he held himself, like he wanted to ball up and shut out the world. Then it occurred to Rude that that was what he'd done– for nearly half a year now, chances were he'd never left this house. He met Tseng's pained gaze when Reno settled his face into Rude's collar bone, and clutched almost painfully at his uniform.

"I'll go check on their progress." Tseng said quietly.

"Don't let anyone else in here." Rude asked, knowing it would kill Reno for them to see him like this. "Not even Elena."

Tseng nodded and left.

Reno's panic attack subsided with his energy and eventually he lay with his eyes half open, breathing shallowly, his right cheek pressed against Rude's chest, staring glass eyed at the white bed he'd woken in so many times. Rude didn't ask him any questions, he just kept one hand on his shoulder.

It was ten o'clock, Reno didn't react to the pain in his chest for another half hour, and even then he just clutched at his shirt absent mindedly until the pain penetrated his altered state. But just as he started to whimper, the door opened and Tseng nodded to Rude.

"Come on partner." Rude pulled Reno up and they left the room. Immediately Reno turned around to go back at the sight of all the Shinra personnel combing through every inch of the apartment but he only met Rude's solid chest.

"Keep going." he was forced to walk backwards a few steps until Rude swiftly turned him around and kept him moving forward with a firm grip.

Reno was taking in the destruction of what had become his sanctuary. There were literal chunks out of the walls, light fixtures dangling. The kitchen, always immaculately, perfectly organized, was in ruins: cutlery tossed on the floor, the pipes of the sink torn out. He winced seeing the couch, he'd spent so much time there, ripped to shreds now. Even the fireplace had been taken apart brick by brick.

"There's a whole mansion here." Tseng said. "We can't rip it apart in the next hour."

"You haven't found it yet?" Rude demanded. "Then why did you make me bring him out here?"

Tseng didn't answer. Reno had spotted Eve, she was on the floor, her clothes tattered and covered in her blood. Her hair was askew, her face a mix of purples and blues and she clutched one arm close. Rude couldn't hold Reno back when he ran to her. He watched heart broken as the young man threw his arms around her and all doubt of what had happened was wiped from his mind. They'd been watching the manor for two days, waiting to get them separated so they could grab Reno cleanly, and they'd all had their suspicions.

Reno sobbed softly into her blood matted hair but it was a combination of the pain and his world being rocked.

"You shouldn't have brought him out here." Eve spoke authoritatively. "You've torn apart everything he knows."

"Just give us the serum."

She turned back to Reno and forced his head back. "Don't be such a baby." She said like she had that day on the balcony. "You get to go home now. Come here."

She stood despite her injuries and pulled him up with her. He followed, their hands held tightly together. Guns trained on her, everyone just watched as she made her way to the balcony. Sliding back the glass door she stepped out into the cool night air and traced the bricks on the outside wall until one shifted and came loose. She pulled from its hollowed inside a lone syringe and pushed it into Reno's arm.

"That was my back up." she said to Tseng who immediately stepped forward to reclaim Reno while men grabbed her again. "I will tell you where the rest are if you let me go."

"There is no way to trust you."

"Yes. You and I drive away from here. When we reach the next town, I give you the information. You phone back, your men find it, you drive away and leave me."

"And why would I let you live?"

"Because Reno can't live knowing you killed me." He laughed but she was serious. "Mine has been the only constant face he's seen this whole time. I've been his only human connection for too long, not my words, the doctor's."

"Its true." Rude had read the report.

"You bitch." Tseng hissed, tightening his grip on Reno.

"None of this was ever in my plans."

The director's eyes narrowed but he had little choice. "Fine, we have a deal." She stepped forward to Reno. Tseng had an arm around him but he just seemed stunned, starring back at Eve.

"Go be a Turk again," she whispered before kissing him deep. He kissed back, then Tseng let him go to pull her off of him and out the door.

"Rude." He called sharply already halfway out but the Turk needed no prompting in grabbing his comrade and steering him back down the hall to the bedroom.

* * *

Rude looked up gratefully a few hours later when the door cracked open in the dark room and Tseng appeared.

"We got it." He said and Rude exhaled in relief.

He had been sitting at the edge of the bed staring at the door for hours, Reno behind him breathing softly. His frail partner had slept for a while but Rude had heard the quiet change of his breathing a while ago and knew he'd woken in silence. The doctor had been to look him over but said he needed a proper psychological evaluation back in Edge, though she'd administered a sedative.

"How much serum did you find?" Rude asked.

"Plenty. There's enough pre-made to keep him going until we break it down and can produce it ourselves."

"Will he have to be on it forever?"

"That can't be determined until tests are run. For now, the chopper is waiting, let's get him back."

"Okay, but no crowd."

"Already arranged it."

Rude turned back to Reno and rolled him over. The young man remained limp but his foggy eyes met Rude's in the dark.

"You still with me?"

Reno managed a nod. The sedatives still had him pretty out of it so Rude lifted Reno's light form and carried him out. Tseng picked up the well worn jacket and followed.

Rude was actually relieved when Reno passed out. He briefly became agitated when fresh air struck but he was just so worn out that he shut his eyes and was soon asleep, even with the noise of the chopper. Elena stared at him in shock from the other side of the helicopter. It was the first she'd seen of him as she'd been leading the search for the serum and she had to hold back her own tears.

But Rude concentrated on one thing and one thing only: his friend was safe, he was in his arms, and they were on their way home.

**END PART II**

**_Wow, crazy long chapter I know but I just couldn't find a way to break it up. So there is the end of part II, which I really enjoyed writing even though we didn't get to see the Turks. I really wanted to keep the reader in Reno's mind, so we saw his 'descent' so to speak but the story will open up again in part three and we will get to see the perspectives of Cloud and Tifa and Rude again. Anyway, must get to homework now, but please let me know what you think of the story so far._**

**_Thanks, _**

**_Riza_**


	10. Chapter 10

**PART III**

"Now that it's over, will you really just walk away? Your talents would be much appreciated, and greatly rewarded."

"Like I told you a long time ago, I'm a delivery boy now." Cloud reached for the handle of the door in Rufus Shinra's office.

"Ah, will you leave without seeing him?"

"I was told he can't have visitors."

"Not visitors plural no, but one at a time is okay."

Cloud looked back at the president. "How is he?"

Rufus shook his head and sighed. "After six months, as good as we could have hoped." With that Cloud left but he stopped outside the doors and took a breath.

"Could have hoped..." he whispered then continued determinedly through the halls until he was in the wing of personal apartments. Guards stood outside one door in particular and he stopped before them. They let him in without question, apparently Rufus had called ahead.

"Cloud." Rude gripped his hand. The apartment was spacious, open, well lit with natural light pouring in. It was spotless and well organized, but in the centre of it, sitting on the couch with knees pulled up under his chin, was the most dishevelled thing in the room.

"Reno."

"Hey Cloud!" Reno waved and Cloud glanced at Rude. From the impression he'd gotten, he had not expected him to sound so normal, despite his appearances.

"Hey Reno." Rude lead him over and he took a seat opposite the thin young man on the couch who never moved to shake his hand or rise.

"I heard you helped the Turks look for me. Thanks."

"Hm." Cloud nodded and Reno smiled.

"As talkative as ever I see. So Rufus make you an offer?"

"Yeah."

"Getting old yet?"

"Probably as old as people asking you how you feel."

"Hey, good one Cloud! Ya hear that Rude? Cloud just made a joke."

Rude just grunted, he was in the kitchen doing something.

"You seem good." Cloud concluded.

"Ah yes, but these doctors think they know, don't they?" Reno smiled slyly and tapping his head.

"Yeah, then go outside and prove them wrong." Rude grunted from behind him and passed the pale man a glass of water. He took a sip then held out his palm automatically for the pills which he swallowed then downed the rest of the glass.

"What do you want for dinner?" Rude asked taking the glass back.

"Same thing as last night." Rude sighed.

"You didn't eat last night."

Reno shrugged and Rude seemed to resist the fight for Cloud's sake.

"What about the injections?" Cloud asked after a strained silence.

"The lab techs are working on them, but they need to do some testing. Tomorrow, alright Reno?"

Cloud watched Reno tense at the thought but he didn't respond. Instead he changed the subject. "Close the curtains will you, Rude."

"You do it."

Again, no response, Reno just looked at the tall windows like he might melt if he got near them. Then he flashed Cloud a smile.

"It was great to see you Cloud, but I'm exhausted, I think I'll take a nap."

Cloud stood with him but watched Rude grab hold of Reno and force him back onto the couch.

"No you don't. You've been sleeping all day and the doc said no going in your room except at nighttime."

"Screw her." Reno said suddenly angry, "I'll go where I want."

"Reno you cannot shut yourself off just because the sun bothers you!"

"Let go Rude!"

"You sit here and mope on this couch all day if you want but you're not going to your room."

"I SAID LET GO!"

"Reno! Listen to me!"

"I don't have to listen to you, I'm not a Turk anymore, I don't take orders from you!"

"Oh yeah, then leave." Rude's words were shockingly harsh to Cloud and he watched their impact on Reno. His resolve crumpled instantly when he looked almost panicked at the door and then the windows. His small frame sunk back to the couch and he gripped his knees again.

"I want to die, Rude." He said, voice small and face hidden. Cloud swallowed hard and caught the pained look in Rude's eye.

"No you don't."

"Then how else do I escape being me?"

"You listen to me and I'll remind you of who you used to be." Thin shoulders began to shake and Rude nodded for Cloud to head to the kitchen. He did but still saw Rude kneel down before Reno and hold his shoulders while trying to be heard over his sobs while still sounding gentle.

Eventually, Rude pulled a blanket over Reno's shoulders who never moved but was still and silent again. He got the kitchen and put on a pot of soup in hopes Reno might eat some of it.

"You caught him right between doses, his moods are always more dramatic then." The Turk explained.

"What's wrong with him?" Cloud asked, still shocked by what he'd witnessed.

"I could recite you a list."

"Is he afraid of the outside?"

"Yeah. He won't even wear socks or shoes because he's afraid that we'll make him go outside. He even seems afraid of summer coming because then it will be warm enough to make him anyway."

"But how did this happen? What did she do to him?"

"He won't give much details, its like he doesn't remember. He had no idea he'd been there that long, but if he was living like this there, then of course he wouldn't have any sense of time, he sleeps almost all day. They say some of it is the serum, it must exhaust his system, but most of it's up here." he tapped his bald head. "Doctor said he probably never left that apartment. From what they can tell, he wasn't hurt much, though he has scars on his left side from extreme burns. He claims someone else did it but he'll never elaborate."

"What's this business of him not being a Turk? Did Rufus cut him lose?"

"No. He started saying that as soon as we got him back. Won't put on his old clothes, just wears pajamas all day. I don't know what it all means."

"And it's just you who stays with him?"

"No, the doctor said that would be a bad idea, he needs to get used to seeing different faces, but he can't handle more than two, maybe three people being around him at a time. Still, I'm here most the time, he'll eat a little bit for me, and talk, but with others, he just lays on that damn couch all day never moving."

"And by others do you mean Shinra employees?"

Rude nodded.

"Then let us help. If he responds to friendly faces, then I'll call Tifa, I'm sure she'd be willing to spend some time with him if you thought it would do any good. And as much as I hate to admit it, Rufus helped out while I was away searching and couldn't get deliveries done."

"And when you say helped out..."

"I don't think Tifa will ever recover from the shock. She could build a whole chain of bars with the money he sent. But what I'm saying, is we can afford to put our business on hold for a while longer, if it would do any good."

"I'll talk to the doctors, thanks."

"You gonna be hanging out here more Cloud?" they both jumped at Reno's voice behind them and turned to see him sliding onto a stool at the counter.

"Is that what you want?"

Reno glanced at Rude then to Cloud and shrugged. "Its cool." He said apathetically, picking at a flaw in the surface of the counter. Rude poured the now warmed soup into a bowl and placed it before Reno who sipped at it wordlessly.

After a few more minutes, Cloud left.

* * *

"Can't they come here." Reno said staring at the open doorway, Rude's arm around his shoulders propelling him ever closer while his bare feet slid along the carpet.

"There's no reason why we can't walk down to the Shinra labs Reno. Nothing is going to happen and we're coming back right after."

"But what do they want to do? I thought it was just a few tests, they can do that here."

"No." Rude said firmly. "I'm not letting you hermit yourself away like you did there. You never left that place did you? They kept you locked inside the whole time."

"No." Reno's voice was soft but Rude stopped pushing him to the door. "I did go out. Len made me, said I was depressed." Now Rude was completely frozen, Reno hadn't told him any of this before.

"Who was Len?"

"He was cool, he was a merc, and he lived in the apartment too, stayed with me when Eve was gone."

"And he took you outside?"

"Yeah, in winter. We went to the lake."

"And did you like going outside?"

"Not really, but Lenn insisted we stay for a bit. Eve was always telling me I needed some sun, but then...they killed him."

"Who did, Eve?"

"No." Reno's hands fell to his side, where the row of burn scars were. Rude inhaled sharply.

"The people who did that to you?"

"Yes."

"Tell me what happened." Reno glanced at the open door and Rude shut it. They would get to the tests later, this was too important. Seeing the door shut Reno sat where he was, head bent and finger playing with the fibres of the carpet but continued talking.

"I think it was a sniper. We were just talking then he was dead. Then I ran. It was cold and it burned and the bodies of her men were everywhere. And then the orchard, I killed at least two, and then I made it out to this road behind the orchard, and I just kept running but they got me, right through the leg."

Rude nodded. They had been unable to determine what that scar had been from. "What did they want Reno?"

"They wanted to know why I was so valuable. Why Eve and the Turks would both want me. They didn't understand, they didn't listen. They took me away. I don't know where we were but they took me in a van and drove me away from the house. They knew I would die at mid night so they were quick."

"What did they do?"

Reno shrugged "The ususal."

Rude didn't push. "But how did you escape?"

"I didn't. She came. She saved me Rude. She took me back."

"She needed you as leverage."

"I know." his voice was small. "But you didn't see."

"Didn't see what?"

"Her eyes. The way she killed them."

"She's a dangerous woman."

"You don't understand."

Rude exhaled. "Reno, is that why you're afraid to go outside? Because they killed your friend?"

Reno just shrugged.

"Was it the last time you went outside?"

"No. The day you came. She was trying to get me to go outside again. She said all I had to do was walk to the tree and come back and we could go back inside and everything would be okay. But..."

"Reno, we rescued you, you don't regret that do you? You don't wish you were still there?"

"I wish I had just never woken up when I fell out of the helicopter." He pulled his knees up and Rude knew he was quickly shutting himself off but anger surged through him.

"Would you stop saying stuff like that."

"I can't help it, its true."

"No, it's not! I wish that none of this had ever happened to you, I wish you didn't feel like you do right now, but the Hell I'm going to let you act as if dying is the better alternative! You are a Turk and you will get through this."

"But I'm not."

"Yes you are." Rude hauled Reno up and pulled him back through the apartment, towards the sliding doors to the outside.

"Rude no, what are you doing?"

"You are not going to wither and die if you go outside. You are not some weak little child."

"Yes I am Rude, so please just don't do this."

But his hands were already on the sliding door.

"No you aren't"

"Then who am I?"

"You are Reno of the Turks." And then he was outside, cool air striking his skin, the soles of his feet pressing into patio blocks, the sun making him blink. He turned immediately back for the door but Rude was there, always there, to keep him from running away.

"Rude please let me back inside," he cried desperately into the other's chest. "Please I don't want to be out here."

"No partner." his hands forced Reno to turn around and look at the outside. He pressed his back against Rude as hard as he could and held tightly to the hands that rested over his chest, one feeling his pounding heart. The sun was warm against them, taking away that last cool edge of winter, though Reno continued to shiver uncontrollably in Rude's arms. But his eyes were forced to adjust to the light, and all he saw was the courtyard of the Shinra mansion. A few benches, lots of grass, just returning to the fullness of green after winter. The gardens were brown, the soil turned over in preparation for planting. The mansion closed around the court on all sides, and seeing this, very slowly, Reno's rapid breath began to ease up.

"Small steps, partner." Rude said.

"Rude, our definitions of small are very different." Reno whispered back, eyes never stopped scanning the open space, but he was much calmer now. "Can we go back now?"

"Alright." Rude turned with Reno still in his grip, back to the patio door and slid it open, releasing his charge so he could shoot back inside.

Reno stumbled to the couch but didn't sit. He was winded as if he'd been running but turned back to Rude.

"Does this mean we don't have to go to the labs today?" he asked hopefully.

"'Fraid not, let's get this over with."

* * *

They returned a couple hours later, Reno as pale as a ghost and Rude let him fall into the couch where he fell asleep immediately. He went to the kitchen to get some food together. The doctors had had to take as much blood as they dared for testing. Other than that, it had been a simple check over: they knew Reno wouldn't last long before panicking so they'd gotten what they could and sent him back up with Rude.

But when Rude came back into the living room with food he stopped short seeing the figure bent over Reno.

"Sir." He said and Rufus straightened.

"How did the testing go?"

"He made it through."

"Good."

"Did you want to speak with him? I was just about to wake him."

"Not today, but I will have to have words with him soon."

Rude set the food on the coffee table, now rather concerned.

"About what sir?"

"Come now Rude, he was in the clutches of the enemy for months, and she's still out there. I need to know what he told her."

"Sir I can assure you–"

"You can assure me of nothing, Rude. Look at him. She broke him, whether you and the Turks are willing to admit it or not. We need to know in what ways we might be compromised."

"I honestly believe she kept him for leverage and her own... _interest _in him. Not for secrets he gave her."

"Rude, he was very literally sleeping with the enemy." Rufus said darkly and Rude was becoming more unnerved.

"Sir, please, don't put him through any more stress."

Rufus sighed at this and his features softened. "I don't mean to say that I'll treat him as the enemy Rude, but we must take precautions. I'll be back in a day or so."

He strode out of the room and Rude followed him to the door, shutting it tightly. His heart sank when he saw Reno sit up and realized he'd been awake.

"Rude..." the bigger man hurried to his side, sitting next to him on the couch. "What's he going to do to me?"

"It'll be okay." Rude said putting an arm over his shoulders and Reno sank against him. "Just tell the truth."

"But what if he doesn't believe me?"

"Don't worry, he won't do anything. We're the good guys remember?"

Reno shut his eyes and turned his face into Rude's side. "You believe me, right?"

"Of course I do partner." And then Reno was asleep again.

* * *

The food had long since gone cold when Cloud strode in. Both men on the couch seemed to be asleep, and he stood unsure of what he should do.

"Cloud." He was half startled by Rude's voice.

"Sorry, I–"

"Help me get him to bed would you." Cloud just nodded and took Reno's light weight when Rude slipped from beneath him. They carried him to his room and he never woke.

"He looks awful."

"Blood tests. But Rufus...he came by to visit."

Cloud caught Rude's eye as he pulled the blankets over his partner's frail form.

"What kind of visit?"

"He wants answers that I don't think Reno can give him."

"About Eve Levi?"

"About everything over the past few months." Rude's hand on the sheets lingered momentarily as if he just wanted to stay close to his partner and Cloud recognized the desire to just to keep him safe. If it was Tifa laying in that bed, he would never leave her alone, especially with Shinra interrogators.

"Tifa was going to come help out but how about I stick around for a couple of days?"

"You can't interfere, it will just make things worse."

"Maybe not, but I don't work for Rufus. Besides, ever notice how Shinra employees tend to avoid me?"

"They're scared of you."

"Exactly."

Rude considered. "Alright. Thank you."

Before they left, Cloud watched Rude pull a box off the shelf above the bed and produce a syringe. Reno stirred only slightly in his sleep when he was injected then relaxed. The task done, both men left the room.

* * *

**_Well the others are back! And to answer a mention of a RudexReno romance, I will not be going that direction though I admit they are very close and very physical in some scenes like in the last two chapters. But to me that is natural for them because I see their friendship as running exceptionally deep- a bond built around survival and co-dependence and surrounded by violence alot of the time. Because of this history, Reno can connect to Rude because its so ingrained in him that Rude will always have his back. Also because of their physical contrast it is easy to see Rude as the protector. _**

**_Well enough analysing, I just wanted to give an idea of where I was taking their relationship so as not mislead! thanks for all the reviews so far, and keep them coming!_**

**_Riza_**


	11. Chapter 11

Rufus sent word for Reno to go to his office before the red head had ever woken. Despite his apparent compassion the day before, it was clear he wanted answers ASAP. Cloud still had a room on the same floor, but Rude and Reno's combined concern over the impending interrogation had him stay up all night. He wouldn't put it past Rufus Shinra to come in the middle of the night and whisk Reno off without Rude ever knowing– even if the young president had seemed to have changed his ways.

Rude didn't comment when he came out of his own room and saw Cloud fully alert on the couch, instead he just began breakfast. The messenger stopped by at 8am and Rude shut the door a little too hard.

"He won't wake up for another few hours on his own, I'll go get him ready." He announced when he'd scoffed down his breakfast. Reno was indeed still very much asleep when he was plunked on the couch, hair still dripping from his shower and actually wearing real clothes– though still no shoes. He had his black trousers and white shirt on, a bit baggy but not too bad a fit. He was nearly asleep again before Rude brought him his breakfast.

"No coffee?" Reno mumbled.

"Its no good for your nerves."

"My nerves...?" Reno's hand paused midway to his mouth with a piece of orange. "Does Rufus want to talk to me now?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

That effectively put an end to his appetite and he stood. "Okay, lets get this over with." he tried to sound casual but clearly was nervous. Rude stood up to join him but Cloud intervened.

"No. I'll take him."

Rude nodded but Reno shot his partner a confused glance.

"Trust us, its better this way." After a moment, Reno nodded and followed Cloud to the door. It took some help to get him over the threshold, as always. With a firm hand on his shoulder the whole way, however, they made it there.

"Thank you." Rufus said dismissively, several men behind him. Reno was already breathing a little quicker.

Cloud said nothing.

"We'll need him alone." Rufus continued in the silence.

"No."

"Cloud–"

"No. I'm not leaving."

"Cloud, what do you think I'm going to do?"

"You don't want me to answer that question."

"Cloud, this has to happen."

"And I _have _to stay."

For a moment they stared each other down, but Rufus could never hold those battle hardened eyes for long.

"Stay out of our way," was all he managed before turning around and guiding Reno to a seat. He himself took the chair in front of him.

"Reno, try to relax, you aren't in trouble."

Reno's eyes kept casting over the other people. He hadn't been around this many people since the raid on Eve's.

"Reno, keep your attention on me." Rufus continued. "How do you feel? The doctor can give you something to calm you down."

Reno shook his head no. The doctor didn't look like he was moving anyway, his eyes were fixed on the menacing shadow at the door and the well worn hilt poking over his shoulder.

Eventually Rufus ordered all but the doctor to leave. He had intended to pass the interrogation off to Shinra specialists who had specific questions about their research since capturing Eve's men and her mansion but it quickly became apparent that Reno didn't know much at all concerning Eve's work. Getting him to relive his story was causing him enough distress as it was.

It wasn't so much that Reno was scarred by the pain or the fear– that had really only been small part of the six months. The real problem was forcing him to face what he'd become now, and always, facing that moment when he'd decided he was no longer a Turk.

He skirted around it for as long as he could. He broke down. He nearly passed out, but Rufus did nothing more than ask and Cloud allowed it. Reno had told them of the others that had kidnapped him, of Len's death, of his day to day life, even about sleeping with Eve, but the last thing he told them about was the night it all began. He didn't even do so much in words, but nodded to the probing and perceptive questions of his boss and they got the picture.

"She lost her power over me by giving in...and I..."

"She knew you would never give in and give her the information she wanted."

Reno nodded but he was lost in that memory again and doubled over, hugging his knees into his chest. Rufus watched his body shake and soon heard short, shallow gasps of hyperventilation and quickly turning into sobs.

"Reno, this is good." Rufus tried vainly to explain. "You didn't give in, you should be proud. Any Turk would be."

At this Reno shot to his feet, though only briefly, enough to turn his back on Rufus, walk a few paces and collapse in on himself again, hugging his knees and now outright sobbing into them. Cloud approached cautiously and knelt before him, noting the doctor rummaging for something.

"I'm not a Turk." Reno choked out between breaths, never looking up.

Rufus knelt next to Cloud. "Why would you say that?" he asked.

"Look at me!" Was all Reno managed. He was close to making himself pass out. Cloud looked to the doctor who showed a bottle to Cloud.

"Reno, lift your head, the doctor has something for you."

Reno shook his head into his knees. The doctor shrugged and reached for a syringe but looked to Cloud first. The swordsman nodded.

"Okay Reno." He said, shifting his grip on the young man's shoulders to pat his hair but suddenly Reno lurched and was on him. Cloud of course, though surprised, was not toppled. He held onto Reno's shoulders to keep him seated but the other strained against his hold, his nails biting into Cloud's arms.

"I should have died that day."

"What day?" Cloud asked completely confused and disturbed by this behaviour.

"The day I dropped the Plate." Cloud's eyes widened at the awful memory and he couldn't help old feelings of hatred that stirred for Shinra– and once for Reno. "See," Reno whispered hoarsely, "you know. I should have died, then all those people could have lived. I wish you had killed me, Cloud. I wish so bad you had ended me with that ridiculous sword of yours."

"So those people could live or so you wouldn't have to be alive now?" Cloud asked back sternly.

"Both Cloud. I wish both with all my heart."

Cloud stared back into the desperate, pain filled green eyes for as long as he could bear then turned to the doctor hovering in the background. "Do it."

Reno tensed when he felt the injection and went limp in Cloud's grasp. Cloud just held him, breathing heavy, memories he didn't want flooding his mind and Reno's words running back and forth through his head.

"We should have found him months ago." Was all he could think to say as he relinquished Reno's body to the doctor who checked his pulse. Cloud continued to sit on the floor of Rufus's office when the men came in to carry Reno back to his room. He stood finally as they left and Rufus watched him carefully.

"Cloud?"

"I hate this company," was all the blond said before storming out.

He strode through the halls of Shinra seeing nothing. He heard Tseng call his name but he never stopped. He knew he should go explain what happened to Rude but didn't want to. He needed something else first.

He came to his room, quickly closed and locked the door behind him and pulled out his cell. He dialled and waited.

"Cloud?" The clear voice answered, then, after a second of his hesitation, "what's wrong?"

"Tifa...I need you."

* * *

A short time later Cloud slipped into the apartment where Rude sat alone in the living room, a book held loosely in his hands, he wasn't really reading it. Cloud scanned the room for Reno.

"I put him in bed."

Cloud just nodded and sat heavily, leaning forward to rest his face in his hands for a moment.

"I called Tifa. She's coming. Barrett's back to stay with the kids."

"What happened earlier?"

Cloud explained. Rude just listened calmly. When it was done, he stood and headed for the kitchen. "Lunch?"

Cloud just nodded, knowing Rude would process what he'd been told on his own time. The interrogation could have gone worse, but finally hearing what was going through Reno's head, why he refused to call himself a Turk any longer, had to be painful.

After lunch Rude left. The point had been to get Reno exposed to other people, not just his partner, so he went to finish some reports and meet with Tseng. Cloud was relieved when Tifa showed up, like he'd said, he was not very good at these things. Reno came around later, but he was quiet and didn't speak to them beyond a quiet hello to Tifa.

"Did the doctor say anything?" Tifa asked. Cloud shook his head no. "What should we do?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you knew."

"Just let him rest. I think he probably just needs some time."

"Those things he said. About the Plate. About wishing he was dead..."

Tifa gripped Cloud's hand reassuringly. "I'm sure the doctors will talk to him about it."

But Cloud didn't meet her gaze and instead looked at the carpeted floor. "Yeah...I'm sure they will."

* * *

Tifa and Cloud stuck around for a few days. They couldn't do much for Reno but Rude was clearly exhausted by the whole situation so it gave him a chance to breathe. But it was always to him that Reno opened up.

The red head remained in a silent stupor most of the days when Tifa and Cloud were with him, but with Rude he at least talked a little. And if he was feeling really bad, it was only Rude that could put his arms around him to give him some sort of comfort. Cloud didn't have to think long about why. As far as he knew, the two had been partners for years, watching each other's backs in a world full of violence– so who else could possibly make him feel safe?

When Tifa and Cloud took their break, back in Cloud's apartment, Rude resumed his attempt to get Reno to go outside. The interrogation had definitely set Reno back, but Rude didn't listen to his protests as he drug him out into the light of day and just held him like he had the first time. Day after day he did this, only him though, he never asked Cloud to try. He knew Reno would only survive it with him.

Two weeks passed, Cloud and Tifa had been back and forth, and each time they came back they saw improvement. Today they had actually talked to Reno and been able to forget for a few minutes that he was even sick at all. They left around nine, like usual. Rude was in the kitchen cleaning up from supper, though Tifa had done most the work earlier. Reno was sitting on the couch, talking quite normally about something he'd read. He and Rude had actually walked around the perimeter of the courtyard that afternoon and though Reno wouldn't admit it himself, Rude was sure he'd felt better after. Slowly, his friend was coming back to life.

"You know Rude, if you intend to take me out for that long again, I'm going to need shoes."

There was a clatter in the kitchen, Reno looked around smiling at Rude's gaping face.

"Don't seem so shocked Rude." But Rude's hand fell limp at his side and Reno suddenly recognized not just shock but pain in his features.

"Rude?"

A red stain spread over Rude's white shirt on his left side. Reno watched him fall to the ground, and in his absence saw the open door to his apartment.

Without hesitating, Reno was at Rude's side, one had pressed on his friend's stomach where blood gushed through. He could feel the warm liquid spreading through the carpet beneath him as well. His other hand reached for the gun that never left his partner's side.

Reno didn't see the attacker until he had Rude's pistol pointed at him. He trembled as he lay across the body of his friend, feeling his life seep away and trying to train his sights on the enemy.

"Stay back." he tried to order but his voice shook and the man advanced. Reno saw the silencer on the end of his gun and more men behind him.

"Reno...run..." Rude wheezed.

"No way partner." He squeezed the trigger.

The room erupted in gunfire, echoed by more in the halls above and below. This was not an attack just on them, all of Shinra was in trouble.

But the fight in their apartment was all that held Reno's attention. Two men dropped before Reno fell back himself, shock keeping the pain from the bullet in his shoulder at bay for a moment.

"Reno..." Rude gasped again and he met his partner's eyes for one second before the men were on them. They were in black, unidentifiable, radios on belts, guns in hand, and there seemed to be a lot of them.

"We have Reno." One many reported.

_Proceed with the plan._ A voice on the radio cracked.

"But sir, I thought we were waiting for you."

_There has been a complication. The prisoners are out._

This earned an audible gasped from the man talking. "Levi's men?"

_Yes, just get what you can out of him then get out!_

"Y-yes sir." The man put his radio back on his belt and knelt over Reno who was being held from behind by one of the men.

"Hello again, Reno." Reno's eyes narrowed then he realized.

"You were one of the men who grabbed me back at Eve's. Her rivals."

"Not just hers, Shinra's, and this is the day we get everything we want. Thanks to your friends, Eve was taken out of the picture, Shinra was the only one standing in our way."

"Then what do you want with me?" Reno coughed out, the wound in his shoulder bleeding heavily and his eyes ever shifting to Rude on the floor.

"Like last time, we want to know who the _Hell_ you are? Why do our two largest rivals have so much invested in _you_?"

Reno took a deep breath then laughed. "You idiots still haven't figured it out? I'm nobody!"

His ears rung from the punch and he felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly. He tried to bite back the scream as the man's thumb pushed into the bullet hole.

"FUCK!" he finally let out when the man let up and he fell further into his grasp, panting.

The man turned his attention to Rude and his subordinates.

"Get him up, don't let him bleed out, at least not yet. And you, find that serum will you. I'm sure they've got some around here."

Reno watched the men in action. His own wound was wrapped roughly– enough to keep him from passing out due to blood loss. Rude groaned as he was stabilized, but every chance he got, he looked to Reno, trying to show him he was still alright.

To Rude's surprise, however, Reno was holding together rather well. Adrenaline coursed through the younger man's veins, but most of all– anger. He felt anger for Rude and the need to save him– more than any other sensation, more than the sick fear that gnawed at him, more than the panic that threatened to consume him. He would kill all these fuckers to save Rude– even if it meant he had to go outside.

Eventually both injured men were being held from behind on the floor, facing one another. Both could guess where this was going.

"Why is he so important?" The man asked Rude. "What do you need him for?"

Rude just stared back at him stone faced. The man punched him in the gut just above his wound and he doubled over as much as he could and coughed up blood.

"What's your name?" Reno asked the man and his attention turned back to him.

"What?"

"I said, what's your name?"

"Ivan Nicola. Why?"

"Because, Ivan, I'm gonna kill ya for that."

"Oh, much more lively than the last time we tortured you." his hand closed over the wound in his shoulder and this time Reno outright screamed when the pressure didn't let up. Ivan looked over his shoulder at Rude.

"You gonna talk now or you want me to keep torturing him?"

Reno's shirt had been torn in the process of binding his shoulder and the burn scars were revealed. Ivan fingered them meaningfully in front of Rude.

"I wasn't there for the last round, but I can guess this got some good reactions. So, Turk, wanna see yer partner squirm?"

"He's one of our men, that's it." Rude said. "He was kidnapped and used as leverage, nothing more."

"So he _is _a Turk. From what I heard, he kept denying it in the last interrogation."

"Well he is, wether he'll admit it or not." Rude said, eyes fixed on Reno.

"Well..." Ivan looked to his watch. "In two hours he won't be anyone. I don't believe that's it. I don't think leverage is the only reason Eve wanted him so badly. But even if all that is true, we want to know where you're keeping the element."

Rude glanced to Reno. It was hard to tell what was sweat from the bullet wound and what was from the building pain in his chest.

"Don't talk on my account, partner." Reno said, trying to smile, but the panic was starting to well up along with the pain.

"Hold on Reno." was all Rude could think to say as he was forced to watch Reno descend rapidly into withdrawal.

* * *

Cloud stepped out of the shower. Now that he and Tifa shared his apartment, he'd taken to showering in the evenings so Tifa could take as long as she wanted in the morning. He was half dressed when his heightened senses went on edge.

"Cloud, what are you doing?" Tifa exclaimed, blushing slightly at his naked torso. He ignored her reddening face, reaching for his sword. Then she heard it too– soft footsteps, but several, moving down the hall in both directions.

"What do we do?" She whispered.

"Just be ready."

She pulled on her gloves and stared at the door. When the first shot sounded, then the whole mansion seemed to be drowned in the thunder of gunfire.

"TIFA!"

She dodged at the last second, bullets whizzing through their door just before it burst open. She kicked the first man but there were so many. It seemed they knew that Cloud would be here. She flew back from a punch, landing feet first against the wall and pushing back to jump into the fight again but Cloud was already on them. He had several down with one swipe. More fell with a second.

However, when they got outside, they found the halls filled with panicked Shinra employees– many of them engineers or scientists, not equipped for battle. Many people needed their help but they kept looking back to the apartment where Reno and Rude were.

"Go." Said Tifa confidently.

"You can't handle that many." Cloud shot back seeing several black figures hauling people from their apartments.

"Watch me." She smiled teasingly but a single, high pitched chirp of a hot bullet escaping the barrel of a silencer was caught by Cloud's sharp ears. There was nothing he could do but fall on top of Tifa

He landed on her, hands braced on either side of her head and their eyes locked. Both faces were frozen as the heat of fresh blood spread between their bodies.

"Cloud..."

"Tifa!"

And then Cloud was moving. He pulled away, his abdomen slick with blood but it was all hers. The gun shot had gone clean through her back and stomach, in a very dangerous place. He tried not to think of what organs may be damaged as he covered her wound with his bare hands, shutting out her pained cries.

He scanned the room but couldn't see the shooter. A sniper. "Bastard!' he cried, his mako blue eyes shining fiercely.

A second shot tore through his arm, a third through his hand but the fourth deflected off his sword. Gritting his teeth and still searching for the shooter, he pulled Tifa back into their room, trying to shut out her agonized cries. He slammed and locked the door, but it was only a temporary solution.

"Cloud..." She repeated, eyes glazed and an endless stream of blood bubbling between his fingers.

"Tifa, hang on." He said, holding his own wounded hand close to his body while trying to keep her from bleeding out with the other.

"I..."

"Tifa!"

Her eyes shut.

"TIFA!"

* * *

**_Lots of action and drama to come so hold on tight!_**

**_~Riza_**


	12. Chapter 12

It was eleven thirty. Rude struggled as much as his wound would allow against his captor. Reno writhed on the floor. The wound in his shoulder had already weakened his system so the symptoms had come on fast. Rude knew he was trying with all his might not to show the pain, but his thin body was beyond his control, tears ran freely from Reno's eyes and he gasped for every breath.

The men had found the serum fairly quickly, it hadn't been hidden after all, but they just stood watching in sadistic pleasure as Reno's body moved uncontrollably.

"His heart will stop." Rude said, his voice faint. He himself was barely holding on, his wound had drained a lot out of him.

"Then tell us what we want to know."

"Fuck y–"

Reno screamed so loud everyone stopped and watched as his back arched off the ground. It didn't end either, after he ran out of breath he just gasped and kept going.

"Ivan...I don't think he'll last," someone warned.

"TELL US!" Ivan screamed at Rude who swore and tried vainly to break free.

"Reno!"

Rude heard his weak voice echoed by another much stronger and clearer and everyone turned to the door.

No one could move faster than the petite blond woman who stood in mako-enhanced fury, eyes blazing blue with rage and hate and vengeance. In one swift motion her gun swept the room, dropping each man, Ivan last.

Rude rolled free of his captor's hold and fell painfully on his stomach. He couldn't move, he could barely see, but high heeled shoes swept past his face and he watched their saviour rush to his partner's side.

"Reno." Eve repeated much quieter now that the room was silent save for Reno's cries and laboured breathing. She scooped up the syringe and knelt as she had those other times, straddling his flailing body.

He only saw her when her weight had settled on him and he took a last gasp. He didn't feel the needle plunge into his heart, he didn't feel anything but cold darkness and then he was still.

* * *

Reno sat up gasping when he woke. He looked around confused. It wasn't his apartment, it was the medical room. It was mostly trashed, but a few instruments still whirred. He was on a cold metal table, his bare back sticking to it with his sweat. He lifted a hand to his chest, and felt the raised bruise from where the needle had been driven between ribs. But he noticed a second mark, still burning, in his left arm.

"Adrenaline." Someone said and his eyes worked their way up to that beautiful, familiar face.

"Eve..." he breathed, eyes locking on hers while his whole body froze in shock.

"I had to wake you up. Too much is happening, I couldn't keep carrying you around."

"Eve." he just repeated. "Eve!" Reno shot off the table and pulled her into him.

"Not now, Reno." she pulled back, though she couldn't hide her smile. "We have work to do." she pressed something cool and metal into his palm. He looked down at the gun.

"What's going on? What happened to Rude?"

"The other Turk was alive when I left him in that room."

"We have to help him."

"No Reno, he'll survive, but only if you help me."

"What?"

"Those men that had you, they were the ones that took you back at my place, Froshi's men."

"I know."

"And now they want to take down Shinra."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I had nothing when your boss dropped me in that village. I needed my men back, but I had no means, so I kept tabs on Froshi and when I heard they were breaking in here, I tagged along– not that they knew that."

"To get your men?"

"Yes. They made a clean break."

"Then what are you still doing here?"

She paused, then stared at him seriously. "I heard you screaming."

He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. Before he could think of anything, the double doors to the med lab burst open and they were forced to duck for cover behind the table.

"The whole place is locked down." Eve hissed to him. "If we want out, and you want to save your friend, then we need to kill Froshi and his lieutenants. It won't be easy."

"What about the Turks and the Soldiers?"

"You have no idea how large Froshi's organization has become. I had no idea– until tonight. He thought of everything. I'd doubt if anyone is left other than us."

"Wh-what?" His eyes flashed panic and she quickly gripped his shoulder.

"Stay with me Reno. You can do this."

He watched her stand fearlessly and fire at the enemy. After a moment, she lowered her arm.

"Come on, Reno." She offered a hand. He stared up unmoving so she knelt back on the floor before him and brushed his sweat slicked hair behind his ear. "Reno, I said, come on." Gripping his hand, she pulled him to his feet. She watched the competing feelings flash through his eyes– fear and pain, but equally the desire the save his friends, and those old Turk instincts to fight. Eve just waited and then felt his hand tighten in hers.

"Okay. Let's go."

* * *

"Rude..." someone dropped heavily beside the prostrate Turk and his eyes fluttered open. He had no idea how long he'd been out.

When he opened his eyes he felt a sort of deja vue, nearly seven months ago the same face had looked down on him in the desert. But it had not been covered in sweat; blond tresses had not been drenched in crimson. Cloud was on his knees, his sleeveless sweater unzipped and it was clear it had been thrown on last minute before dragging himself here and after he received the several cuts and gashes on his torso.

"Cloud..." Rude tried to sit but couldn't.

"Here." Cloud pulled him upright, hurting both of them in the process. Rude could see Cloud's right arm had been badly injured, shot at least twice. But he'd bandaged it up with something. Cloud got Rude propped up against the couch and now the Turk could see Tifa as well, but she lay unmoving

"What happened, what time is it?"

"It must be around two in the morning. I don't really know. I kept fighting them, but there were so many and Tifa was dying."

Rude's eyes widened and he looked at the girl on the floor again.

"Is she...?"

"No, but she's barely alive. She needs help but the whole place is locked down and full of those people."

Rude nodded. "They want to take the element and crush Shinra once and for all."

Cloud looked around the room.

"Reno?"

"I...I don't know, it's a blur. They wouldn't give him the serum. I thought we were both dead...but they must have taken him."

Cloud nodded. "Can you hold a gun?"

"Yeah."

Cloud reached for one of the guns left strewn among the bodies and handed it to him. Then he reached for Tifa and slid her as gently as he could up to Rude. He placed her head in his lap and Rude draped one arm around her protectively, the other resting on top to keep the gun steadily trained on the door.

"They already checked these rooms, all they saw were bodies and they left so they assume this wing is clear." Cloud explained. "Stay conscious and keep your finger on the trigger."

Rude nodded. "What's your plan?"

"I'm going to end this, and get her help." He stood, his sword dragging along the carpet until it was straight and he leaned on it for support. "Where d'you think the boss'll be? Rufus's office?"

"No. They're looking for the element."

"And?"

"Third sub-level lab. There's a secure elevator in the north wing but they've probably got it covered. Use the back entrance– four rooms further, in the closet of the bedroom there's a stairway. It leads straight to the high security section of the lab– where the element is being tested."

"Okay Rude."

"And Cloud."

"Yeah."

"Cut through the courtyard, the dark'll keep you covered and less chance of running into enemies that way."

"Okay, thanks Rude and I'll be back."

"Keep your eyes open for Reno."

"Will do."

Cloud took a moment to zip his sweater and glanced one last time at Tifa's pale form in Rude's arms before moving to the patio and slipping silently into the night.

* * *

"Its Cloud, he's alive." Reno breathed, looking at the wall of monitors over the shoulders of two dead infiltrators.

"Strife? I thought he would be the first one they'd want eliminated."

"Well it looks like they gave it one hell of a shot." Reno pointed to a screen and she saw the warrior sliding through a broken window from the courtyard. His sword seemed to be weighing him down and he half stumbled when he landed in the hallway.

"Well I guess he won't be much help."

"Oh, I don't know." Reno began with a smile. "He has been known to save the planet from total destruction once or twice before..."

Eve raised and eyebrow but returned his smile.

"Come on." he took her hand again and she lead him from the room but it was him who lead her down the hall. "The elevator?" She whispered but he shook his head.

"No, I'm sure they've found that, its not hidden or anything. But the lab is sectioned in two. The element can only be reached from one side."

"Then lead on."

They snuck down the dark hallway in complete silence. There were guards on the elevator but they never noticed the pair that slid easily into a room and shut the door.

"Over here." Reno motioned, Eve still had her gun on the door, in case they'd been spotted, but now she watched Reno move behind the desk and open a closet door.

"What is it?"

"This is the way down, look."

She approached and saw the spiralling metal stairs leading down deep, reminiscent of those in the old facilities in Midgar. But Reno must have been reminded too, because all of a sudden he stopped and looked at her, his eyes edging on panic when they had just been confident and caught up in an adrenaline high.

"What is it Reno?"

"You did this didn't you?" His voice was barely audible but filled with a devastating note of horror and betrayal.

Eve remained steady and calm. "What do you mean?"

"When we first met. You made me think you were my doctor. Then, all those months, getting me to trust you, then getting caught by the Turks so they could find me. You did this to me! You planned this so you could come back here and get me to lead you straight to what you want!" He slammed the door shut and fell back against it, gasping and clutching his stomach.

"Reno, don't be ridiculous. It's been months, I couldn't possibly create something that elaborate."

"No, its not ridiculous, it's the truth isn't it? These are your men aren't they?" He was screaming. Their cover was blown, men burst through the doors, but a second later they fell dead. Behind them the blond boy from Nibelheim panted heavily before shutting the door again.

"It's not ridiculous." Cloud said approaching and holding out his freshly blood-stained sword. "It sounds exactly like you. You broke him down so you could use him. You sick bitch."

Eve stood between them, frozen by Reno breaking into a full-on panic attack on one side and Cloud holding the deadly sword on her other.

"It's true...it's true..." Reno gasped and repeated. His breath was shallow and quick.

"He's having a panic attack, he needs help." Eve urged Cloud.

"He'll live. You won't." Blue-green mako flashed in Clouds's eyes behind the blood red bangs and he attacked. Eve fired.

The battle was quick. Eve's bullet sang against metal and ricocheted into a wall. But she threw her gun down and to Cloud's confusion only met his blows defensively. He saw the flash of mako in her too, and she matched his speed, in fact, she was faster. His wounds were a huge disadvantage and she had been untouched. Even if she had no sword, it only took a few hits to his wounded arm to loosen his grip and then he was on his back, his own weapon at his throat.

Cloud stared up at her, trying to read the woman about to kill him but he never expected her to toss his sword aside and turn her back on him. She hurried back to Reno and Cloud sat up and watched her cradle him in her arms.

"This proves nothing!" Cloud declared when he collected himself and his sword and came to stand over her. But she now had Reno pulled tight against her and ignored his anger. "You need his help, you would never get it by killing me."

"I don't care what you think." she responded. He wanted to retort but watched Reno's hands tighten around her even as he sobbed that she had done this, that she was behind all of it.

"Shhhh Reno, its not true." She whispered, pressing her cheek against the top of his head. "Think about it...think about all that time and tell me again that I'm behind all this."

He was struggling for breath against her but she forced his head back to look her in the eyes.

Cloud watched, torn. He wanted to rip her off of him but the way she stroked his hair and rubbed his back seemed to be helping him slow his breath. So he just waited.

"Did you have Len killed?" Reno gasped.

"I asked you a question first, Reno. Do you think I would have killed him?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do, Reno. You know more than you think. You are stronger than you believe. And no matter what you think, you are a Turk. So tell me what you know. Am I Len's murderer? Did I do this to you on purpose? Or is it possible that I really did just hear your scream and when my men were running for freedom, I stopped and came back for you. Is it possible that I got myself trapped in here saving you and now you and I and what's left of the swordsman are all that are left to stop Froshi and get out of this place? Tell me Reno."

His breath had calmed now and he looked to Cloud for help but she wouldn't let him take his eyes off of her. "No, decide for yourself, Reno." She ordered.

After a silence, he answered. "Yes, you did this to me." She said nothing but her shoulders dropped slightly and he chest fell. "Things changed after you took me to your home. I know you never meant for anything that happened after that. But you did make me into this." He raised his shaking hands as evidence as if she didn't already know what he meant. "But no, you didn't kill Len. Yes, you saved me from Froshi's men. Yes, you developed feelings for me. No, you didn't want me to be agoraphobic or have anxiety problems or become a hermit, but yes, you were ultimately responsible. No, you didn't organize what happened tonight. But yes, you would take the opportunity to get the element."

"Would I risk your life to get it?"

Reno watched her. "No."

"Then you have it perfectly right, Reno. You think you are lost but you aren't. That mind of yours is as sharp as ever."

She stood, Cloud tensed but waited. Reno rose as well. "Are you sure?" Cloud asked.

"If I can't trust myself on this, then everything I said about dying is true, Cloud. But if we make it out of this, if I made the right decision just now, then believe me, I don't want to die. I want to live everyday to make up for what's happened in the past, but I don't want to lay down and give up. So please...trust me too."

Cloud relented after a heavy sigh. "Tifa is dying. She needs help fast."

"Then we'll get it to her as soon as we take care of the Bastards downstairs." Reno turned to the door once more and opened it. One by one, they slipped onto the metal stairs and made their way down.

* * *

**_Fewf, emotional, well, at least for me, haha! Just 2 chapters left! I'm getting really sad that its almost over :( _****_This was probably the hardest scene for me to write in the whole story because I wanted to get Reno's thought processes and reactions just right (and everyone else too!)_**

**_Thanks for reading and let me know what you thought,_**

**_Riza._**


	13. Chapter 13

"I wish I'd never found it." Cloud muttered, staring at the glowing blue stone– the element– that was protected under layers of glass in a box in the centre of the room. They'd had to go through three security doors to reach it but on the far wall they could hear steady drilling. Froshi's people would be in soon enough.

"No, you don't." Reno said coming up behind Cloud. "This energy is pure, nothing to do with the Lifestream. If it can be harnessed, imagine how much faster Shinra can rebuild the world it destroyed."

"I suppose."

"You should take it." Eve said to Reno.

"What?"

"Strife can hardly lift his sword, but you should be able to handle the stone right? Take it somewhere else and we'll deal with them." She nodded to the splintering wall. It was a matter of minutes if not seconds before Froshi got in.

"Oh no." Reno held up his hands in protest. "No way, I'm not going to be the only person who knows where it is so that when they do find me they can torture me for information all over again."

"Then don't get caught." Eve responded evenly.

"She does have a point, Reno." Cloud spoke up. "We need to take them down, but if we fail, they'll not only be defeating us, they'd be dooming the world."

"Don't be so dramatic." Reno rolled his eyes.

"Reno! I'm serious." Cloud's eyes pierced him and Reno's shoulders dropped.

"You two don't stand a chance on your own."

"Then come back when you're done." Cloud said in frustration. This seemed the only way to get Reno to agree. So he unlocked the case, picked up the stone, and headed for the stairs.

"Wait."

Reno turned to find Eve's lips forced onto his own in a deep but brief display of passion.

At first bewildered, he quickly recovered and smiled at her.

"For old time's sake," she said casually but his grin turned wicked.

"Sure Doc, I love you too." He gave her a teasing wink and ran back up the stairs before her glare could trump her smile.

"I hope he's right about you." Cloud said, gritting his teeth and raising his sword.

"He is," was all Eve said before the wall split and crumbled and all was lost in a cloud of dust.

* * *

Reno had encountered more resistence than he'd thought and already two men lay dead from his gun. He ran around looking desperately for a place to stash the element but no luck. The stone was heavy and awkward but worst of all was its constant, pulsing glow that was not helping him conceal his position.

Three more dead men later, he decided the halls were unsafe and glanced out at the courtyard.

"Hell," he muttered, biting his lip and standing at the threshold of a door. He felt the cool night air wash over his skin and wished he could also feel the warmth of Rude at his back and those firm hands on his shoulders. But he was alone, and would have to do this without help.

He hesitated, took a step, felt a shard of glass cut into his barefoot, yelped, stumbled, and suddenly found himself in the exposure of night. It was the first time he'd stepped outside on his own, with no one forcing him, in months.

"Wow." he took a second to say aloud to himself before returning to the task at hand and searching for a place to hide the element. He spotted a bush that had recently been planted and fell to his knees beside it. He dug through the loose soil until he had a sufficient hole and planted the stone. Throwing the dirt back over it, he hoped it would be enough of a concealment before shooting back inside.

He didn't turn around as he ran for the stairs. He didn't hear the faint rustle of young roots stretching beneath soft soil toward an irresistible source of life an nutrients. He didn't see the shimmer, almost like blue frost, that worked its way up root and stem and leaf and sparked with electric life when it met cool night air.

Reno didn't see that in his frantic attempt to cover the element, he'd uncovered the secret to tapping its power.

* * *

Rufus Shinra knelt in a pool of his own blood, watching the battle at hand. He'd been badly beaten for information and though he'd never talked, they'd found the sealed off section of the lab and began their work. Froshi had told the president he'd let him live long to see him holding his empire in his hands.

But bitter disappointment awaited. The wall had crumbled, the stone was gone, and two powerful beings had stood waiting for them.

Still, Cloud had already been injured and was not going to last long. Already he'd caught another bullet in the leg and was slowing down considerably.

But most of Froshi's men were concentrated on the woman– the most surprising resistor of all– Eve Levi. She was unexpected, uninjured and unrelenting.

However, even in his shock and frustration, Froshi smiled just a few minutes later when the cry went out, "got him!" and saw one of his men holding Cloud's arms behind his back. The swordsman struggled but the man holding him gripped the bullet wounds in his arm and his whole body went rigid in a scream.

Cloud's cry was cut short, though, by the blunt bang of a bullet exploding out the barrel of a gun of an unseen shooter and the man restraining Cloud suddenly let go, head snapping back, one small dark red dot on his forehead and then landing in a lifeless heap on the floor. The only other sound in the room was the nearly imperceptible clink of the empty brass cartridge falling to the floor and all heads turned toward the shooter.

"Reno!" Rufus watched the man he'd thought broken beyond repair fire relentlessly into the room, hitting every target with cool determination. Cloud quickly recovered and began wielding his sword again.

For a brief moment there was hope.

The battle raged, Cloud seemed to have found renewed strength, Reno showed no signs of slowing down and anyone that got within two feet of Eve fell dead almost instantly. But sheer numbers were against them, for every man they cut down there seemed to be two more to take their place.

And then there was Froshi.

The leader of the infiltrators stood clenching his fists, screaming orders, and eyes blazing with fury at the three who defied him and all odds as they maintained their ground. But his keen eyes watched every movement of the battle and he took his opportunity with no hesitation. Cloud was knocked back, Reno moved to cover him and Eve stopped a blade from cutting into the red head's back. The three had converged for only a few seconds, but it was enough for Froshi and he ripped a grenade off the vest of the man standing nearest to him and hurled it at the three with no regards for his own men still fighting them.

Reno was the first to see the small object arcing through the air, the first to hear the strained voice of his boss begging them to run, and then his body caught up to his mind and he was shoving the two blonds that flanked him until they were running too. But they had only a second and no where to run except headlong into the enemy.

Reno didn't see where the grenade landed, didn't hear the clinking of the segmented casing rolling over tiled floor. He only felt that moment of silence that suspends time– when all await the inevitable, hold their breaths, close their eyes. But for him, that one, frozen instant, was a timeless gift, that let his eyes meet hers, and he saw nothing but fierce, brilliant blue.

Silence was consumed by chaos. Rufus Shinra fell on his side to shield his face and body as best he could from the onslaught of dry dust and stray shrapnel in the wake of the explosion. He heard the united click of guns being raised, sights sifting through the grey-brown cloud for survivors. And he too got back to his knees despite his own wounds and waited with bated breath while the aftermath slowly became clear.

He saw the legendary sword, separated into its different pieces or broken, he couldn't tell.

He saw Cloud Strife unmoving.

He saw a red head of hair, stirring slightly.

But more than anything, he saw the mass of blood pooling among the debris from a wound no being could survive.

"Eve..." Reno reached for her. He felt his own ribs grinding in protest, his chest a network of cuts and a dangerous gash on his neck and his shoulder wound was torn open again but he crawled over broken tiles towards her shivering form.

Her once perfect, slim waist was torn open, things that should never see the light of day lay exposed and powdered cement tainted them. Reno's hand hovered over the mess, not knowing what to do.

Eve's own hand shook violently and her eyes were unfocussed but she gripped his hesitant hand and reached to her chest with the other. Her bloodied fingers trailed down to her breasts and came back with a small thin dagger that had been concealed there. Reno's back was to Froshi, the leader couldn't see as the shaking hand pressed the weapon into an equally unsteady palm.

Eve's chest rose and fell violently and Reno held onto her hands tighter as if he might somehow be able to hold onto her life as well. One sparkling tear blossomed at the corner of Eve's eye and she spoke her final words.

"Go..Reno...of the Turks."

A few more violent gasps of air and suddenly, she was still. Reno watched the mako light fade from her eyes, let her hand slip out of his. He didn't move or turn away when he heard the footsteps behind him.

"Where is the element?" A voice said, and a hand came to rest on his shoulder.

Reno's voice was hollow when he spoke. "Are you Froshi?"

"I am." Reno began to shake. Froshi's hand tightened on his shoulder. "Don't tell me you mourn that Bitch. Eve Levi should have died the day Shinra raided her mansion. Another one of their messes we had to clean up."

"Oh, is that your plan?" Reno asked through now trembling lips. "You going to clean up this world?"

"It can't be saved, it's already dead. We just don't believe that Shinra should get to profit off of the mess they created out of our planet."

"So _you _will instead?"

"To put it simply, yes."

"Well I'll tell you something," Reno was still on his knees, still facing Eve. The hollow quality had left his voice and now it dripped with emotion. "I can't let you do that, because we made a promise to rebuild this world. It's not dead yet, and neither am I, and as long as I'm alive, I'm going to hold Shinra to its promise."

"Well I'm afraid both you and Shinra will be ended soon. But not before you tell me–"

Reno moved far faster than anyone could predict or see. The slim silver blade was in Froshi's throat before most even understood what had just happened. By the time his men had their guns pointed on Reno, he'd already pulled Froshi's from its holster and began firing with the body of their boss as his human shield.

He dropped as many men as he had bullets before someone got an angle and shot his leg. It gave out and he dropped his shield, catching another bullet just under the ribs. He fell back completely now, his body twitching in the shock, but his head rolled to the side and he saw Eve.

He met her lifeless eyes and smiled. "Guess I just couldn't survive without you," he said, waiting for it all to end.

But he had made a promise and the planet seemed determined to hold him to it.

He heard the zing of bullets striking metal and hardly had to turn his head to know Cloud was finishing the fight.

It wasn't that it was easy, but with the boss gone, so was the men's confidence, and several threw down their arms and waited to be arrested or made a run for it. The latter were smarter as Cloud could hardly stand let alone chase them.

As some Turks and Shinra employees were freed, the rest followed at exponential speed and suddenly Tseng was running around giving orders, though sporting a broken arm and many bruises. Elena was hunting down any left over enemies and the medical staff was spreading throughout the building.

"You have to help her!" Cloud ordered someone he caught by the arm.

"Sir, you are badly wounded." The young medic protested.

"No, there's no time, please." He instructed her to where Tifa and Rude were and the woman ran off with others in tow. Cloud took a few more steps before collapsing to his knees. He was beside Reno who stared up at him.

"Rude will kill me if you die."

"Yeah." Reno sighed through the pain. "You send a medic his way?"

Cloud nodded. "For him and Tifa."

"Good." Reno's eyes shut and a few tears streaked through the blood and grime on his face.

"Reno." Cloud spoke softly by sincerely. "You were right, you know. She fought with us to the end."

"I know," the red head choked. Medics were approaching but Reno reached out and Cloud gripped his hand.

"You alright?"

Reno opened his eyes again. The swarm was on them now, compresses being put onto gushing wounds, someone trying to get Cloud to lay down– but in the flurry, Cloud's eyes didn't leave Reno's until the redhead nodded. The tears stopped and somehow, Cloud guessed, they had stopped for a very long time.

* * *

Rude walked down the long corridor to the medical wing– still in repair– until he came to the set of doors he wanted. It wasn't a private room, too many had been hurt for anyone to have been accorded that honour but Rufus Shinra himself. However, this room had been designated for four in particular, one, being himself. But he had been released two days ago. Now, fresh flowers in hand, he entered.

"Rude." Tifa smiled from her bed and he handed her the flowers. "Thank you." She said sniffing them deep.

"Marlene and Densel asked me to get some, you should thank them when they come tomorrow."

"I will." She smiled and Rude took the seat between her bed and the one beside it.

"Is he awake?" he asked, looking at the mess of red hair that had a short pony tail poking out of it.

"Yo partner." Reno rolled over to answer the question. "Just napping."

"I told you not to nap in the day, keeps you up at night."

"Who are you, my mother? 'Sides, you only got shot once, I got shot three times! If I want to nap, I think I deserve it."

"You don't see me napping." They all turned back to the door. Cloud strode in, arm still in a sling and only a slight limp throwing off his stride.

"Yeah but you're a freak of nature. Look how fast you healed! _Two weeks_! Ridiculous."

"Its amazing what the prospect of being stuck in this room with you for any longer can do for a man's health." Cloud said and Reno burst into violent laughter at the rarely heard jovial side of Cloud. Tifa laughed too and Rude smiled.

"How are you, Rude?" Cloud asked seriously when the laughter finally died.

"Good enough to be working again." The Turk responded.

"There's a lot to do." Cloud said tiredly.

"I heard you've been busy helping rebuild Shinra." Reno piped up now that he'd regained his breath after the laughter.

Cloud looked at him seriously.

"What you said in he lab was right. Shinra has a promise to keep and I will make sure it does if it means rebuilding this place myself. And as much as I hate to admit it, Shinra is the only thing that can keep peace in these parts. If they are seen as weak, others like Froshi, and even Eve, will keep attacking, keep putting people in danger." His eyes wandered meaningfully to Tifa.

"Well put." Reno returned seriously.

"So, you going to keep your promise?" Cloud asked, moving to the foot of Reno's bed and staring at him hard. "You going to live now, and fulfill your promises?"

The room was silent for a few seconds, the other two had not been there for the conversation and so the words came out harsh but Reno smiled, serious, but always tinted with his laid back nature.

"Course I am Cloud, no more moping for me, though the doctor keeps telling me it's not that easy. But once I'm on my feet again, I'm walking out of this place. I'm going to go anywhere I want just to prove to them, to me and to everyone, that I can. Then, I'm going to come back here, put on my uniform, and go to work."

"You make it sound so simple." Rude said, resting his head on the back of the chair. "If I'd known this was what it took to get you to snap out of it, I would have shot you three times myself."

"Thanks, partner." Reno drawled sarcastically but then turned serious. "Rude..." The bald man turned his head to the side and met his partner's eyes. "I mean it. I...don't know if I would have survived without your help."

"Just don't get lost again." Rude stuck out a gloved hand and ruffled Reno's hair quickly before standing. "And why are you growing that damned pony tail back?" he sighed in mock exasperation.

"Cause its cool, yo!" Reno protested to Rude's back as he made for the door.

"Whatever. See you." he waved to them all, not turning, and left.

"I should go too." Cloud said.

"Stay." Tifa said and he paused. "You're tired, I can tell. You didn't give yourself long enough to heal, so just stay a bit, tell me what your working on. Tell me about Barrett and the kids."

He nodded and sat in the chair Rude had just been occupying. He'd fought many battles, but this time he'd come closest to losing almost everything and he'd come to understand that he too, had some things to learn about the business of living.

**_To be concluded..._**

**_

* * *

_**

****For all those who fell in love with Eve, don't hate me! What a hard chapter to write, but this was what felt natural so even though I it was hard, I had to let her die. I have loved working on this story and I'm not sure why I've never written for these charaters or this universe before, but it was definitely worthwhile and gave me rich characters and a rich setting to work with. I hope to give all of the characters and this story a propper send off in the last chapter.

****Thanks,

****Riza.


	14. Chapter 14

**One month later**

"_Reno!_"

The pilot raised one hand to his ear while steering violently to hear his com over the roar of gun fire and his chopper.

"Elena?"

"_They're targeting you, get out!"_

"You have _got _to be kidding me." But looking to his left he saw the rocket launcher propped on the shoulder of one of the attackers atop the building next to him and knew this wasn't good. A second later, he spotted the billow of grey smoke against the black night skyline that could only mean the rocket had been deployed.

"Shit!"

He abandoned his seat at once and stood at the open door. Air ripped through his hair as he tried to pick a building he might be able to land on.

Out of time.

The rocket struck the front end of the chopper, he would have been obliterated had he still been in his seat. But as it was, he felt a brief wave of heat and then he was flying through open space.

Windows whizzed past. He tried to grab a ledge but he was falling too fast to maintain a hold. The ground was coming up rapidly to meet him then–

"GHA!" he screamed in both pain and relief as something caught his flailing arm, probably dislocating it, but saving his life. He looked up and saw that serious face.

"Yo, partner. Thanks." He grinned past the pain.

"Be more careful next time." Rude grunted, ignoring the crash of the chopper into a neighbouring building and pulling Reno through the window.

"I'll try." The red head moaned and held his left arm steady with his right as he followed Rude out of the building onto the street.

"Who are these punks anyway?" He asked.

"Just another rival, but besides a few big weapons, they shouldn't be much of a threat."

"Tell that to my chopper."

"Reno!" He turned at the female voice. "You made it."

"Course I did, Elena! I'm not a Turk for nothing." He smiled back at her.

"And you lost _another _helicopter." Their director said sternly and Reno laughed a little sheepishly.

"How many of the enemy are left?" Rude asked.

"Only four." Tseng answered and tilted his head to one side. They understood and followed him in that direction.

They entered an abandoned building. They were just on the outskirts of Midgar centre. If they didn't stop this now, the violence threatened to spill into Edge. Reno pulled his EMR from the inside of his jacket and gripped it tightly in anticipation. The air was still, his eyes scanned the dark for the enemy.

It was already too late when they heard the metal canister hit and roll across the floor. _Maybe this is why Rude always wears sunglasses, _Reno thought absentmindedly when the white light of a flash grenade filled the room and his senses fried and he face planted.

A few moments later the Turks came around to find themselves restrained, hands cuffed behind their backs and laying on the gritty floor. Reno rolled off his stomach and sat up but someone smacked him back and he fell hard to one side. Rude was facing him now and he saw his eyes slightly panicked, it took him a second to realize why.

"It's ten o'clock." Someone said, rolling Reno over onto his back and patting him down. When he didn't find what he was looking for he did the same to Rude and smiled when he withdrew a long syringe from inside his coat.

"I heard one of you dies at twelve if he doesn't get his dose." his eyes shifted back meaningfully to Reno.

"So you did your homework, who cares?" Reno shot back casually.

"For your sake, I hope your friends do."

"Oh come on, what's the point? Shinra's already got power flowing. By next month it'll be all over Edge, you already lost!"

"Not necessarily. I heard you're supplying power for free. All we want is a change in figureheads. Get rid of Rufus Shinra and put our man in. All we need is some key information from you four and we can start profiting from this."

"All you bastards sound like a broken tape. When will you ever learn? Long as the Turks are backing Shinra, you don't have a chance."

Reno coughed and doubled over on himself at the harsh punch he received to his gut. A hand closed around his collar and stared him down. "We'll see in a couple hours, huh?"

He backed off Reno and moved to Elena. "Ooo, she is a pretty little thing isn't she?"

"Back off you sicko." she kicked out and caught the man in his shin. He staggered and returned a kick to her ribs.

"Bastard." Tseng shouted and absorbed a kick as well. Reno caught Rude's eye briefly then let out a small cry. He began to shake his head back and forth and the man was drawn away from Elena and stood over Reno.

"Oh, its started. Now we'll see how strong of a Turk you are. "

The symptoms ramped up quickly. Reno choked for breath but wheezed out a few words.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear." The man leaned in and pulled Reno up by his shirt, his back arching painfully.

"I said..." Reno panted, "you're dead, motherfucker."

Before the man could even process his words, Reno head-butted him and he staggered back. Reno fell back too, but didn't waste a second before pulling his legs up and through his bound wrists, the task made easy by his already dislocated shoulder.

He knocked away the leader's gun, dodged a shot from another and rolled into a third, knocking him flat and taking what he'd spotted in his coat pocket– his EMR. Now, Reno had all he needed to take these four down.

The man he'd grabbed his weapon from was already out. He ducked more gunfire and clubbed another. Now there were two. One accidentally backed up too close to Elena and his legs were kicked out from under him. Reno put him out with a blow to the side of his head on his way to tackled the leader.

A shot flew by his ear, he slid along the floor, foot connecting with foot and toppled the leader, gripping his shirt as he fell into him. As soon as they hit the floor Reno rolled the man on his back and straddled him. The leader's face was already covered in blood from his broken nose but Reno used his EMR to snap the man's wrist as well to disarm him completely.

"What do you want to do with him, Tseng?" Reno asked, breathing heavily and looking up to his director who'd gotten to his feet.

"Subdue him for now, we'll question him back home."

"Understood." He stood up and once cleared from the injured man, sent a high voltage shock through him that put him out.

Reno then turned smiling to Rude and helped him right himself.

"Wait til the ol' doc hears about this one." He laughed to his partner but Rude's face was still creased with anxiety.

"Reno, your dose." Rude's eyes fell to the smashed syringe on the floor. "We need to get you back right away."

"Oh that." Reno's smile broadened. "Well I've been meaning to tell you. Those Shinra lab techs pulled through– as of tonight, I no longer need it. I'm free!"

Rude stared shocked as Reno picked up the cuff key and began freeing them all. Tseng took it from him but hesitated before unlocking him in turn.

"Hey, what's the deal Tseng?"

"You should have told us." He scolded.

"Come on, I wanted to surprise ya._ Come on_, director." he shook his still cuffed hands.

"I don't know, you've proven yourself to be quite the lethal weapon." he teased and Reno glared. "Seriously, Reno, you should have told us."

"Okay, okay, sorry." Tseng nodded and freed him. Rude clapped a hand on his shoulder and Reno flinched in pain.

"Hey watch it Rude, I'm pretty sure it's out of the socket."

Rude ignored his complaints. "Pretty impressive partner. Glad to have you back in action." They surveyed the room, Elena beamed at him and even Tseng tried to repress a smile.

"Yeah. Reno sighed, feeling a loose tooth and new bruises. "Feels great."

"Come on, let's get you fixed up."

"Yeah...just...I want to go someplace since I'm already out here. Catch you back at base, okay?"

They all eyed him. This had been his first serious mission in the field and he'd done excellent, but they were ever nervous that he might have a relapse.

"It's okay, seriously." Reno said smiling, but his voice a little less than convincing.

"Okay, but don't be too long." Tseng said finally and watching him carefully.

"No worries."

Reno walked out, leaving Tseng to call for the cleaners to come and gather up the dead and unconscious, not to mention to begin clearing up the remnants of his helicopter.

The streets were dark, though the warning glow of blue mako lit some areas. He shuffled along at no eager pace until he came to the place he wanted. So much had happened here, he had been a different person entirely the first time he'd laid eyes on the building.

The broken church was borderline eerie in the dark, but the flowers, though closed, still gave off a warm fragrance in the otherwise fume filled air of Midgar. He stood between the last pews and stared up at the gap in the ceiling that revealed a starry night sky. Midnight was approaching, and for the first time in a long time, without pain or fear. Reno sighed.

"I know Shinra's got your body in the morgue, but I couldn't stand to go talk to some hole in the wall. About that last conversation we had. I wish I had asked you what you really did feel for me. I could never quite tell. But I believe you did come back just for me. And because of it, you died. That night though...you were right, I wasn't lost anymore. I know I said it was your fault, that you made me into what I had become. I wasn't wrong, but I never got to tell you that if you hadn't come back for me, I probably still would be that person. I guess...the last thing I need to do to let him go, is to let you go. And to do that, I just needed to explain. So I guess I just wanted to say thanks, and goodbye, Eve."

He lowered his eyes and his head, and stood like that for a few moments longer. Then he spun, winced as pain lanced through his shoulder and walked straight into the figure he hadn't seen in the dark.

"Rude, I didn't want anyone to hear..." he pulled back angrily when he realized who it was. Rude just stared at him for a moment, they didn't really need to speak to communicate, they knew each other so well. Reno tried to stay angry but gave in and let his head drop forward onto Rude's chest. Rude's arms closed around him briefly, but Reno remained dry eyed and after a moment of listening to Rude's steady heart and finding calm in his own, he pulled back.

"Okay, now I really do want to go back and get this fixed." He said indicating his shoulder and Rude nodded.

"Alright, but we have to walk."

"What?"

"Well you crashed our ride."

"Oh right...I guess I don't mind." Reno sighed, clumping along in his boots. They made their way slowly back toward Edge. The city loomed before them, some parts already lit by blue-white shimmering trees networked across roads and between buildings, spreading a new and clean power to homes and shops. It would never be enough to make up for those years before, but it was enough for hope, and that was worth everything these days– especially for one who had so recently given up on the concept altogether.

"You know Rude, it feels good."

Rude looked down on his partner in confusion, his face bruised and clearly creased in pain from his shoulder but smiling all the same.

"What do you mean?"

Reno shrugged one shoulder. "This." he stated simply. "Walking. Living. Life feels good, even when it hurts."

Rude's lip twitched and a smile spread over his face. "Yeah, partner, it does."

The two wound up the roads to their home, past the 7th Heaven, past the growing buildings and homesteads, through the city centre past the memorial to Midgar. Even though it was late, the city was still alive, was still busy, was still full of life. And as long as Reno of the Turks lived, he would make sure it always stayed that way– stayed not just alive, but living.

...

END

...

* * *

_**It's over and I, personally, am both sad and relieved. Endings are so hard, and I wanted to write this last scene even with the good old corny "one month later" ending, because I think Reno and you readers deserve to see him back together, and because I wanted to have a propper goodbye to Eve. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, I would really appreciate your closing thoughts and perhaps I we will meet again if I publish a second FFVII fanfic.**_

_**Ciao,**_

_**Riza Winters.**_


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